Norwegian Crown Princess Says Epstein ‘Manipulated and Deceived’ Her

Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit publicly expressed regret over her relationship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, claiming she was deceived by him. Recently released Justice Department documents revealed extensive communication between the princess and Epstein that continued years after his 2008 guilty plea.

Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit publicly addressed her controversial connection to deceased sex offender Jeffrey Epstein on Friday, expressing deep remorse about their relationship in what represents one of the most significant scandals to impact the Norwegian royal family.

The princess’s comments come after the U.S. Justice Department made public millions of documents related to Epstein, creating worldwide controversy as they exposed the convicted financier’s connections to high-profile individuals, including the Norwegian royal and several prominent politicians, business leaders, and diplomatic officials from Norway.

“I was manipulated and deceived,” Mette-Marit stated during her television interview with Norway’s public broadcasting network NRK.

“Of course, I wish I had never met him,” the crown princess added when discussing Epstein.

The newly released documentation revealed ongoing correspondence between the 52-year-old princess and Epstein that continued well beyond 2008, when he entered a guilty plea for soliciting a minor. Mette-Marit, who issued an apology to King Harald and Queen Sonja in a statement on February 6th, faces no criminal allegations.

Although previous news reports had established some connection between Mette-Marit and Epstein, the recent document release revealed a far more substantial relationship, prompting criticism from Norway’s prime minister and calls for the princess to provide a complete explanation.

According to the American documents, the princess, who is married to Crown Prince Haakon and future queen, remained in contact with Epstein between 2011 and 2014, including a four-day stay at his Palm Beach residence during a personal visit in 2013.

“I’ve never seen anything illegal,” Mette-Marit emphasized during Friday’s NRK interview.

Public support for Norway’s royal institution has declined in recent months, according to polling data from February involving 1,009 participants.

The Norstat survey, published February 21st by NRK, found that 60% of Norwegian citizens now back the monarchy, representing a drop from 70% in January, while republican support increased from 19% to 27% during the same timeframe.