Crown Princess Mette-Marit's connection with Jeffrey Epstein

[Tatiana Maria]

She’s been accused of participating in human trafficking in India as well.

For those who don't know, kath2833 is referring to this news story:

Crown Princess Mette-Marit Current Events Part 2: November 2008 - January 2013

We have seen the documentary about her life, also some moments about her working days, but no one of us know her personally, so we don't know exactly, what does she really make. Maybe she works hard, maybe doesn't. But we should make a difference between people, who are backround-worker and...

www.theroyalforums.com

I've moved my comment on the surrogacy story to this thread: Miscellaneous Thoughts and Questions on Royals, both to avoid going off-topic here and because my comment is not really about Crown Princess Mette-Marit but on the different treatments of different royals.

I read somewhere that when she stopped her association with Epstein it was said it was because the Royal Court thought she was being used and she bounced his messages to staff then (or something along those lines).

You may be thinking of her 2019 statement. The Royal Court compiled all of her/their Epstein-related statements up through February 6, 2026 here:

Uttalelse om Epstein-saken

Kongehuset har i dag formidlet følgende i anledning Epstein-saken.…

www.kongehuset.no

"Kronprinsessen valgte å avslutte kontakten med Epstein i 2013, blant annet fordi hun opplevde at Epstein prøvde å bruke forbindelsen han hadde hatt med Kronprinsessen overfor andre personer."

"The Crown Princess chose to discontinue contact with Epstein in 2013, among other reasons because she felt that Epstein tried to use the connection he had with the Crown Princess with other people."​

I can't recall reading about messages being bounced to staff.

 

[Kristen]

Epstein was convicted in 2008 of soliciting prostitution from girls as young as 14 years old. This should have been more than enough to send any decent person running in the opposite direction. That anyone would joke with him about this is inexcusable. MM has no good explanation to give, and considering her actions towards her son's victims I cannot believe she is sincere. And I agree, why in the world didn't someone on the palace staff warn the family about Epstein? Or did they and did Haakon and MM wave it off? Which raises even more questions about their judgment and competence?

 

[carlota]

It is clear that the reason why she cant explain herself now is because they are still scratching their heads as to how to make up an explanation/excuse/story to make this appear better than it is. Yes, I agree that timing with her illness and Marius isn't great either, but that appears as just an excuse to buy themselves more time in my opinion.

Indeed. And next to Epstein being a registered sex offender, which was not a problem for MM, she had the example of still prince Andrew right there. He was forced to lay down his functions as trade representative due to his Epstein friendship BEFORE Mette-Marit visited Epstein. It was a very public scandal, very much talked about in the media. She must have known the potential consequences that come with having Epstein as a friend. And still she went ahead.

I didn't know this part in bold took place before MM started contact - I've only known about this now as it came to light he send JE some sort of trade files. if so, and if it was in the press, MM should have known better. a part of me thinks she may not be the sharpest tool in the toolbox?

And WHO and WHEN was the "Mystery Man" that made MM feel good about herself, that She wrote Epstein about.

I wonder about this too. Could it be she referring to Haakon? (it doesn't really seem like it, but maybe?)

She even wanted Epstein to meet Haakon.

I believe some sort of encounter with this group and Haakon took place as in one of the emails someone describes that he likes "Haakon a lot!'.

She’s been accused of participating in human trafficking in India as well.

Wait - what? I remember a story of her going to India to help with some babies who were born via surrogate to a palace aide...
Mette-Marit flew to India to mind same-sex friends' surrogate twins

 

[Moran]

I find it very difficult to understand how her Protection Officers didn’t wave a red flag. Didn’t they accompany her to Epstein’s house.

The whole thing just stinks

Did the Consul in New York say he had turned to the Palace because she came way too often without official reason and left without telling them where she was going to and taking no guards with her?

 

[Granada]

I still believe that the reason M.M. won't come out with a more definitive Statement on Epstein is simple. She cant now.

M.M. has blown ALL credibility with "The Advisors" at The Court. Who have the unenviable task of dealing with the continuing and evolving Epstein Fallout. They must have been aghast and shocked at the nature of the close - flirty relationship disclosures between their future Queen and a depraved fiend in the latest Emails published.
.
They, and Harold and Sonja simply don't know what other information about M.M. Epstein and his Associates is out there, potentially to be released. And further blow up this PR debacle.

M.M has been exposed in this as scheming, disrespectful and disreputable. To her position as Crown Princess and personal responsibilities to her Children, In Laws AND her own Husband.
I wonder what Haakon makes of all this ? Or are the blinders he has regarding her still firmly in place. In his place, I would be so hurt, sickened and .....mortified.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

They, and Harold and Sonja simply don't know what other information about M.M. Epstein and his Associates is out there, potentially to be released. And further blow up this PR debacle.

Good point. For PR reasons, it would be preferable to wait until they are certain all information that may be released has been, rather than issuing a statement that may appear out of touch, or worse, be disproven when the next disclosure arrives.

Another advantage to waiting: Someone pointed out earlier in this discussion that people who are busy reacting to the newly published emails are not in the frame of mind to be open to the Crown Princess's explanations. Only when her friendship with Jeffrey Epstein has become "old news", and everyone has emotionally adjusted to it, will people become somewhat more open to listening to new statements from her.

 

[Moran]

Another advantage to waiting: Someone pointed out earlier in this discussion that people who are busy reacting to the newly published emails are not in the frame of mind to be open to the Crown Princess's explanations. Only when her friendship with Jeffrey Epstein has become "old news", and everyone has emotionally adjusted to it, will people become somewhat more open to listening to new statements from her.

And in best case scenario, people will have come to stop expecting any statement from her and she's going to get away scot-free. I believe that's the plan. They're already courting public sympathy for her, as if she's the victim here.

 

[Blog Real]

Now she can't go back on her word anymore. The best thing for Mette-Marit to do is continue to retract her statements and justify herself.
The royal household should also find a way to improve the princess's image. I believe they will have to think about that.

 

[Marengo]

But then what justification is there? It is what it is. She had a lapse of judgement, not her first, and did not mind cosying up to a pedophile so she could experience billionaire nouveau riche lifestyle in the USA. And now she got caught she regrets having met him. What more is there to say?

 

[Moran]

Now she can't go back on her word anymore. The best thing for Mette-Marit to do is continue to retract her statements and justify herself.
The royal household should also find a way to improve the princess's image. I believe they will have to think about that.

And stop Haakon from ruining his own. Playing the brave hero who takes care of his family while his equally brave heroic wife takes care of him, as if they are the victims, is horribly tone-deaf of him.
What on earth were Harald and Sonja doing for all those years? I get it that it was hard for the two of them to get married but this doesn't absolve them from teaching values and basic manners to their children.
At this point and with what we know about the Norwegian press and the RF, I can't help but wonder if the support for the monarchy hasn't been heavily facilitated by the press being silent for many things royals other than MM did. If they were so agreeable to keep Marius out of the spotlight, imagine what they would do for the Crown Prince.

 

[hereditarytitles]

But then what justification is there? It is what it is. She had a lapse of judgement, not her first, and did not mind cosying up to a pedophile so she could expertience billionaire nouveau riche lifestyle in the USA. And now she got caught she regrets having met him. What more is there to say?

That's right, she won't admit the truth. Most people wouldn't do that in public, and certainly not a crown princess. She's probably hoping that the whole thing will soon be forgotten. After all, the next challenge is coming in about six weeks, namely the possible sentencing of her son to a long prison term. She'll have to comment on that at some point, too.

 

[BriarRose]

When someone shows you who they are, believe them.

 

[tommy100]

It is clear that the reason why she cant explain herself now is because they are still scratching their heads as to how to make up an explanation/excuse/story to make this appear better than it is. Yes, I agree that timing with her illness and Marius isn't great either, but that appears as just an excuse to buy themselves more time in my opinion.


I didn't know this part in bold took place before MM started contact - I've only known about this now as it came to light he send JE some sort of trade files. if so, and if it was in the press, MM should have known better. a part of me thinks she may not be the sharpest tool in the toolbox?



I wonder about this too. Could it be she referring to Haakon? (it doesn't really seem like it, but maybe?)



I believe some sort of encounter with this group and Haakon took place as in one of the emails someone describes that he likes "Haakon a lot!'.



Wait - what? I remember a story of her going to India to help with some babies who were born via surrogate to a palace aide...
Mette-Marit flew to India to mind same-sex friends' surrogate twins

Andrew stepped down in 2011 and the media at the time reported it was in part due to links with Epstein, see an example here:

Prince Andrew to step down as trade envoy, Buckingham Palace confirms

The prince will concentrate on boosting training and apprenticeships within Britain after a series of scandals

www.theguardian.com

The announcement follows, after a decent interval, the intense pressure the prince and ministers came under in March following the revelation that he had maintained contact with the American billionaire Jeffrey Epstein, who was jailed in 2008 for soliciting a minor for prostitution, and that Epstein had given £15,000 to Andrew's former wife Sarah Ferguson to reduce some of her debts. The prince acknowledged he had made a mistake after a photograph of him with Epstein in New York was published.

and here from the BBC`

Prince Andrew to stand down as UK trade envoy

Buckingham Palace confirms that the Duke of York is to stand down as the UK's trade envoy after a series of controversies.

www.bbc.co.uk

The Duke of York is to stand down as the UK's trade envoy.

Buckingham Palace has confirmed that Prince Andrew will give up his title as Britain's "special representative" for Trade and Investment.

The prince has been criticised over his friendship with controversial figures, including convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, an American financier.

The prince has held the role as UK envoy from 2001 - his remit was to promote UK business interests abroad.

His friendship with Mr Epstein, who was sentenced to 18 months in prison in 2008 for soliciting a minor for prostitution, led to calls for Prince Andrew to step down from his role in March, but Prime Minister David Cameron gave him his full backing.

https://www.reuters.com/article/world/uk/prince-andrew-steps-down-from-trade-role-idUSTRE76K7K7/

Whilst MM may not have seen this press coverage I am inclined to believe she could well off, the NRF seem to take an interest in the BRF and are close to them. I remember a photo of Haakon and MM where a coffee table book about HLM Queen Elizabeth II was out in the sitting room.

My understanding is MM started meting Epstein 2011 until 2013 so it indeed seems like she was meeting him after (or during) all the scandal with Andrew's links to Epstein which resulted in Andrew stepping down from his trade role.

 

[Moran]

There is always the possibility that MM thought her case wasn't quite like this. The Norwegian monarchy had always enjoyed high popularity and she even got her marriage without any real collisions. Sure, the press was vile but it was nowhere near to Diana and Sarah's times and their reflection on the monarchy. Also, the Norwegian press was far more discreet than its British counterpart. It wasn't the same at all, she might have thought

 

[Tatiana Maria]

100% - this has been the biggest thing to get my head around for me. Why would MM need to associate with Epstein? As you say Fergie was just desperate for cash and growing her "business" and would go anywhere for a free lunch as the saying goes. Andrew seemed to meet with through Maxwell and because Andrew say himself as a businessman and trade expert (he was neither and certainly no good at either of those things).
But why did MM stay close to Esptein? She was a Crown Princess with enough money and wealth to live a lifestyle of her choosing, she also lucked out in marrying into a RF where the expectations placed upon her seemed to be pretty close to zero. I mean heck the family went off travelling at one point and no one said anything. Haakon seems kind and good natured and was pretty good looking, Norway is respected for its NGO work so she had it all to play for. I just don't understand why she built up a friendship with Epstein? She appears in over 1000 emails and met him numerous times, how did she explain this to Haakon? Did she? Or did she lie about going to stay at this uber wealthy single man's Florida home? If she didn't lie what did Haakon think? I am not suggesting for one second men and women can not be friends or that something must always be going on, but likewise Haakon (so we are told) had little or nothing to do with Epstein so I think most partners would question their spouse going off to stay at the house of someone they haven't ever met?
I do think MM is attracted those people who skirt the edges of acceptability, Marius' father was hardly a saint when they dated. I think she likes the perceived danger or thrill it brings maybe?
I just find it very very odd. Whilst it doesn't make it right I understand Andrew and Fergie's links to Epstein. I just don't get MM's at all.

A wish for a father figure, perhaps?

For a person who cut off her own father because he would not stop publicly talking about her and her son, a man of her father's generation willing to listen to and keep secret her unflattering confessions may have seemed like an appealing father substitute.

To me, that seems indicated as a possibility because Crown Princess Mette-Marit apparently opened up a great deal about her unhappiness and her problems to Jeffrey Epstein, causing him to already think of her as "a mess" by 2011.

(Though @Moran's theory that she was attempting to impress him with her complaints also works; we have seen that many Americans are indeed impressed by a "married-in royal is miserable in the stuffy old-fashioned monarchy" story.)

 

[Moonmaiden23]

RTL Boulevard says that Mette-Marit skipped a royal get-together in favour of an Epstein visit. On 2 March 2013 -less than two months before the inauguration of King Willem-Alexander, the then Prince of Orange hosted other European royal heirs at Castle Het Oude Loo, next to Het Loo palace in Apeldoorn. Crown Prince Haakon was there, Mette-Marit was not. Now it is clear she was in New-York that weekend visiting Epstein.

2013 photo of the heirs.

Mette-Marit was bij Epstein tijdens koninklijk feestje Willem-Alexander

Of je bezoekt een exclusieve bijeenkomst van koning Willem-Alexander (58) met alleen maar troonopvolgers óf je boekt een weekendje New York. Nou, dat laatste koos de Noorse kroonprinses Mette-Marit (52) en ze werd daar vergezeld door ongewoon gezelschap.

www.rtl.nl

Apparently she has been mentioned over 1000 times in the Epstein files.

I remember this event very well. How sad that what stood out for me was how much I disliked the newlywed ypung HGD of Luxembourg's outfit... not the absence of the woman who had been Crown Princess of Norway for well over a decade. Shame on me.

 

[LadyFinn]

VG:
The palace said on February 6 that Mette-Marit wanted to speak and explain herself about this, but was not ready.
12 days later, the Palace states that she is still not ready.
– The Crown Princess has said that she wants to talk about what happened and explain herself in more detail. She is unable to do so now and needs time, says Guri Ofstad Varpe, Head of Communications.
VG has asked Mette-Marit a number of questions. Among other things:
What did the Crown Princess find when she googled Epstein in 2011?
How and when did the Crown Princess find out that Epstein had been convicted of sex crimes in 2008?
Guri Varpe says she understands that there are many unanswered questions.
– In the meantime, we do not wish to respond to details related to the case, and refer to the overall overview of what we have stated that has been published.

Slottet: Fortsatt ikke klar til å forklare googlingen av Jeffrey Epstein

VG får opplyst at kronprinsesse Mette-Marit (52) fortsatt trenger mer tid før hun kan svare på spørsmål.

www.vg.no

 

[Kristen]

This "she needs more time" and "she's not ready" business is already getting old, especially as it is the palace communications people who are doing the heavy lifting (I strongly suspect).

 

[kath2833]

This "she needs more time" and "she's not ready" business is already getting old, especially as it is the palace communications people who are doing the heavy lifting (I strongly suspect).

Not just old, but very fake excuses to me.

 

[polyesco]

I think they are waiting to see what else comes out. She and the palace are not going to volunteer more information then they have to.
So they will wait to see how honest she has to be.

the google question is a good one. What did she find out in 2011? She found something that made her say "doesn't look good".

I think the best strategy would be to say that she was selfish and put her needs above all other things.

 

[Moran]

I think they are waiting to see what else comes out. She and the palace are not going to volunteer more information then they have to.
So they will wait to see how honest she has to be.

the google question is a good one. What did she find out in 2011? She found something that made her say "doesn't look good".

I think the best strategy would be to say that she was selfish and put her needs above all other things.

The thing is, how long are they going to wait? Some 6 more years until the next batch of the files is released? I bet they'd like that and it seems that's their strategy. The noise is bound to die down eventually, the more the pity. We aren't talking spending and bad manners here but it will go away just like these other things do.

 

[hereditarytitles]

the google question is a good one. What did she find out in 2011? She found something that made her say "doesn't look good".

From everything I have learned about her, I consider her to be someone who only admits mistakes under external pressure, while in reality she believes she has done nothing wrong. At the latest in 2011, when she googled Epstein and must have found out what kind of person he was, she should have broken off contact. Then her explanation that she had misjudged him would have been more credible.

 

[tommy100]

They would be better offering a timeframe for when she is going to be "ready" - if they are waiting until after Marius' court case then just say, even off the record to the press indicating that it will be after then would be something.
It strikes me as "we need more time to try and make up better excuses".

 

[Moonmaiden23]

Other European royals will definitely keep being diplomatic towards MM should they encounter each other, but the question is how many will actually continue to consider her a personal friend...

There is NO doubt in my mind that the number of groveling, apologetic text messages, letters and phone calls from MM to the people in the various Royal houses who considered her a trusted friend have been flying fast and furious for weeks.

No doubt whatever.

 

[Lori138]

I don't think any messages, groveling or otherwise have been sent to the other Royal houses. Remember, she feels she has done nothing wrong, her friendship with Epstein was just a lack of judgement so why should she apologize to everyone for that? She doesn't think the friendship was a mistake.

 

[Moonmaiden23]

I think that's MM's game face Lori138. But she knows that she is likely to run into most of these people again sooner rather than later. Harald and Sonja are aged and frail.

At their passing, MM will come face to face with Royal Europe.And while she might see herself as the royal "Bambi" I bet her colleagues don't.

I just see some awkward times ahead for she and Haakon.

 

[LadyFinn]

Se og Hør's paywall article:
Private message reveal new details. See how Mette-Marit plannet to meet Epstein. Did she trick the Palace?

Se meldingene: Avslører planlagt møte

Private meldinger avslører nye detaljer. Se hvordan Mette-Marit planla å møte Epstein. Lurte hun Slottet?

www.seher.no

Svensk Damtidning quotes the article
The newly published text messages show that the meeting between Mette-Marit and Epstein was planned.
"We'll come over," Mette-Marit writes to Epstein, to which he replies "excellent."
Mette-Marit continues: "If you go to the other side, we'll meet on the road. I'll go with the children. Where are you?"
Epstein replies "coming," which is followed by a text message from Mette-Marit in which she says they are "at the old church," and asks Epstein to follow her to the harbor.
The correspondence makes Se og Hør's court expert Caroline Vagle wonder if Mette-Marit has been completely honest with the Norwegian court about her relationship with Epstein:
- If you read the released text messages between Epstein and Mette-Marit, the meeting on St. Barths was hardly a coincidence. It almost seems as if Mette-Marit has deceived the court. Once again we see how unfortunate it is when the whole truth does not come out immediately.
The Royal Court tells Se og Hør that they "have nothing to add" when Se og Hør asks about the text messages.

Uppgifter: Mette-Marit lurat hovet – avslöjas av smset till Epstein

Smsen mellan Mette-Marit och sexförbrytaren Jeffrey Epstein pekar på att kronprinsessan inte varit ärlig mot norska hovet.

www.svenskdam.se

 

[An Ard Ri]

I'm not surprised really and I do think that there is more to come about Epstein and his links to Mette-Marit.
She really has dragged the Pristine Norwegian Monarchy into a unchartered waters with this scandal.

I also doubt we will see MM at any Royal events for the foreseeable future.

 

[Countess of Holland]

I'm not surprised really and I do think that there is more to come about Epstein and his links to Mette-Marit.
She really has dragged the Pristine Norwegian Monarchy into a unchartered waters with this scandal.

I also doubt we will see MM at any Royal events for the foreseeable future.

Yep. And I think that is the reason why the court waits to issue a more definitive statement. So far only 40-50% of the Epstein files were released (all heavily redacted). And who knows what is in the next batch of documents?
Personally I would not be surprised if it turns out that she didn't cut contact in 2013/ 2014 but much later.
And the Court probably realises by now that MM can't not be trusted to tell them the truth. So they have weighed their options and decided that not saying too much now, is easier (and has less ramifications along the way) than having to swallow earlier statements that we verifiably wrong because MM didn't tell them the truth.

 

[Tatiana Maria]

Yep. And I think that is the reason why the court waits to issue a more definitive statement. So far only 40-50% of the Epstein files were released (all heavily redacted). And who knows what is in the next batch of documents?
Personally I would not be surprised if it turns out that she didn't cut contact in 2013/ 2014 but much later.
And the Court probably realises by now that MM can't not be trusted to tell them the truth. So they have weighed their options and decided that not saying too much now, is easier (and has less ramifications along the way) than having to swallow earlier statements that we verifiably wrong because MM didn't tell them the truth.

That reminds me of the Palace refusing to answer whether they lied in their 2019 statement about the Crown Princess and Jeffrey Epstein, and the theories that arose from that in the discussion here two weeks ago:

NRK's large article, they asked questions from the Palace:
NRK has asked the Palace if they lied in 2019.
They won't answer that. They also will not answer whether they have tried to downplay the relationship between Mette-Marit and Epstein.
[...]

Kronprinsessen fikk to invitasjoner til «Epstein-øyen»

På juleferie i Karibia ble kronprinsessen spurt av Epstein om hun ville komme til hans private øy. Senere skilte hun lag med familien og møtte ham i Florida.

www.nrk.no

My guess is that the palace communications team didn't lie, but were lied to by the Crown Princess.

I agree, that's what I think as well. The palace press office probably wasn't told the truth by Mette-Marit, therefore they lied on her behalf without realizing it at the time. Now they don't know what to say, because they might say something based on the information they have today that could turn out to be another lie down the line, if more Epstein files are released.