Princess Mette-Marit says she wishes she had never met Epstein as documents reveal she stayed at his Palm Beach home
Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit looks on during a memorial service as Norway marks ten years since the Oslo and Utoeya island attacks, on Utoeya island, Norway on July 22, 2021. — NTB via Reuters
Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit said on Friday that she regretted her friendship with the late sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, seeking to contain one of the biggest scandals to hit the country’s royal family.
The United States Justice Department’s release of millions of Epstein documents has sent shockwaves globally, revealing the disgraced financier’s ties to prominent figures, including the crown princess, top Norwegian politicians, business executives and diplomats.
“I was manipulated and deceived,” Mette-Marit said in an interview with public broadcaster NRK. “Of course, I wish I had never met him.”
Read: US House panel subpoenas attorney general over Epstein files
The files showed frequent communication between Mette-Marit and Epstein long after he pleaded guilty in 2008 to soliciting an underage girl. The 52-year-old crown princess, who apologised to King Harald and Queen Sonja in a February 6 statement, has not been accused of any criminal wrongdoing.
While earlier media coverage had revealed links between Mette-Marit and Epstein, the newly released documents showed a more extensive relationship, prompting an unusual rebuke by the prime minister and calls for her to provide a full account.
Read More: Norway probes terror link to US embassy blast
The princess, spouse of Crown Prince Haakon, heir to the throne, maintained contact with Epstein from 2011 to 2014 and stayed at his Palm Beach home for four days during a private trip in 2013, according to the US files.
“I’ve never seen anything illegal,” Mette-Marit told NRK on Friday.
The royal family’s popularity has taken a hit in recent months. A February survey of 1,009 respondents showed around 60% of Norwegians supported the monarchy, down from 70% in January, while 27% backed a republic, up from 19%, according to the Norstat poll published by NRK.
