By Independent News Roundup
The admission comes after newly released documents revealed more extensive contact between the royal and Epstein than previously known, including continued communication years after his 2008 conviction for sex crimes involving minors.
New Documents Reveal Ongoing Contact After Conviction
According to the released files, Mette-Marit maintained contact with Epstein between 2011 and 2014.
She stayed at his Palm Beach residence for several days in 2013.
The disclosures contradict earlier public assurances that her connection to Epstein was limited and have prompted renewed scrutiny of the relationship.
Norwegian Prime Minister Jonas Gahr Støre called for transparency, saying it was important that questions surrounding the relationship be addressed.
Crown Princess Says She Was Misled
In an emotional interview with NRK, Mette-Marit defended her actions while expressing regret.
“I was manipulated and deceived,” Mette-Marit said.
“Of course, I wish I had never met him,” she added.
She also suggested Epstein leveraged personal connections to build trust.
“He used the fact that we had a mutual friend, and that I’m gullible,” Mette-Marit said.
“I like to believe the best about people.
“But I also chose to end contact with him.”
Mette-Marit also insisted she did not witness any criminal behavior during their interactions.
“I’ve never seen anything illegal,” she said.
Emails Raise Further Questions
Newly surfaced communications appear to complicate her previous statements about the relationship.
In a 2011 email, three years after Epstein’s conviction, Mette-Marit acknowledged she had researched him.
“It didn’t look too good,” she wrote, followed by a smiley face.
Asked about the message, she told NRK she could not recall why she wrote it.
“But if I had found information that made me realise that he was an abuser and sex offender, I wouldn’t have written a smiley face behind it,” she said.
However, it was widely reported at that time that Epstein was a convicted pedophile.
Royal Family Faces Growing Pressure
Mette-Marit’s husband, Crown Prince Haakon, publicly supported her during the interview.
He described her as “caring, wise, and really strong.”
Haakon said he would “always have her on the team,” adding that marriage includes both “the good days and the bad.”
The controversy comes at a difficult time for Norway’s royal family, which has faced mounting scrutiny in recent months.
Separately, Mette-Marit’s son, Marius Borg Høiby, is currently on trial facing multiple serious allegations, including rape and domestic abuse.
He has pleaded not guilty to those charges while admitting to lesser offenses.
Public support for the monarchy has also declined.
Recent polling shows approval dropping from 70% to 60% in a matter of weeks.
The latest revelations surrounding Epstein are likely to intensify pressure on the royal family as questions continue about judgment, accountability, and past associations.
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