OSLO: Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit apologised again on Friday for her friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, one of several European nations to feel the heat from a scandal that has yet to cause major political repercussions in the US.
“I also apologise for the situation that I have put the royal family in, especially the King and Queen,” Mette-Marit said in a statement released by the royal palace.
New files related to Epstein published by the US Justice Department last week included extensive email correspondence between Mette-Marit and Epstein after he was found guilty of child sex crimes in 2008.
Epstein, who died of suicide in 2019 in a Manhattan jail cell while awaiting trial for sex trafficking, exploited his wealth and connections to cultivate relationships with prominent figures around the world over decades.
Mette-Marit, the spouse of Harald’s son Crown Prince Haakon, the heir to the throne, previously apologised for maintaining contacts, saying she displayed poor judgement.
Norway’s prime minister on Monday said that Mette-Marit, and other prominent Norwegians who were named in the latest Epstein documents published, should provide more details about their involvement with Epstein.
Norway’s royal family is already dealing with several challenges. Marius, Mette-Marit’s son from a relationship predating her marriage to Crown Prince Haakon, is currently on trial for rape and domestic violence. Norway also looks set to launch an inquiry into its own foreign ministry over links to Epstein.
Other prominent Norwegians
Apart from the crown princess, former Norwegian prime minister and foreign minister Thorbjoern Jagland is all under fresh scrutiny. So are former foreign minister Boerge Brende, now leader of the World Economic Forum; Mona Juul, ambassador to Jordan and Iraq; and her husband Terje Roed-Larsen.
Jagland is also a former chairman of the Norwegian Nobel Committee. Juul and Roed-Larsen helped set up the secret channel for contacts between the Palestine Liberation Organisation and the Israeli government that led to the 1993-1995 Oslo Accords.
All were known to have had ties to Epstein, but the new files have offered much more detail.
A majority of parties in Norway’s parliament appear ready to support an independent inquiry into the foreign ministry, Norwegian media reported.
However, the daily VG said Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Stoere would prefer parliament to conduct the inquiry.
Epstein’s ‘web’
British PM Keir Starmer’s future is looking increasingly uncertain over his decision last year to name Peter Mandelson, who had a close friendship with Epstein, as ambassador to Washington.
The king’s brother, Andrew Mountbatten-Windsor, had already been forced to relinquish his royal title and lavish residence, and pressure is now growing on him to testify in the US.
In Slovakia, PM Robert Fico’s national security adviser Miroslav Lajcak has resigned after emails were revealed in which he discussed young women with Epstein.
Published in Dawn, February 7th, 2026
