Norway said goodbye to one of its most beloved royals on Wednesday. By Thursday morning, Queen Mette-Marit's eldest son was making headlines. Again. Marius Borg Høiby, 29, has replaced his defense lawyers ahead of his appeal trial, which is set to begin on February 9, 2027. The sharply dressed men are drawing comparisons to "Suits," the lawyer drama that once starred Meghan Markle.
The news of Borg's new legal team landed the day after the funeral of Princess Astrid, where he wasn't in attendance. She died on September 11 at 94, two days after attending her brother's funeral.
© Patrick van KatwijkThe lawyers Norway can't stop comparing to 'Suits'
Borg's case is now being handled by Alexander Greaker, 35, and Daniel Storrvik, 36, of the firm Greaker & Storrvik. While young, the two have serious credentials and an impressive career.
Norway's legal community regards the pair as technically sharp and rigorous, as reported by our sister website HOLA! Spain. The country's press has taken to comparing them to the characters of "Suits," the legal drama that followed handsome lawyers in a high-stakes drama.
"At the moment, we have no further comments on the factual or legal aspects of the case," said the firm in a statement, as reported by Nettavisen.
© PoolOut with the old team
Greaker and Storrvik take over from Ellen Holager Andenæs and Petar Sekulic, who represented Borg until now. Before them, Øyvind Bratlien served as his defense attorney, making this the third legal team to handle his case since the investigation began in August 2024.
One of his outgoing attorneys shrugged off the change. "It's not entirely unusual to want an expert to review the case on appeal," she said. Høib took the opportunity to thank Sekulic and Andenæs for their help with his case.
What's at stake in February
In June, the Oslo District Court sentenced Borg to four years in prison. The conviction included two counts of rape and a count of abuse in an intimate relationship involving his former girlfriend, Nora Haukland. He was acquitted of two other rape charges. Borg appealed, and the two remaining rape convictions and the abuse count will all be reexamined at the new trial, scheduled for 16 days of hearings.
In the meantime, Borg remains in custody at Skaugum, the royal estate where Queen Mette-Marit and King Haakon lived.
© www.gxs.noGreaker and Storrvik told VG they'll present evidence that was never introduced during the district court trial. They'll also call new witnesses, including some connected to Borg's relationship with Haukland. Their goal is to win acquittal on the most serious charges.
"Now we come in with a new perspective and the possibility to develop a new strategy," Greaker told broadcaster TV2.
"It's important that people understand the presumption of innocence: Marius Borg must be considered innocent unless his guilt is proven by a final judgment," he said. "This is a new examination of the charges in the indictment. It's not the district court's verdict that is to be reviewed."
A generational shift at the defense table
© Getty ImagesAt the first trial, Borg's lawyers argued that he'd had legal, normal, and consensual sex with the women involved, and that moral judgments about his partying shouldn't be confused with the legal questions before the court. Andenæs, who led that defense, described her client's party scene and lifestyle as "a special world" that "feels somewhat foreign, at least to us older folks."
Greaker is leaning into the contrast. "At 35, I think it's easier for me to understand the nightlife in Oslo West and the context surrounding what's described in the case. That understanding can be useful. However, the most important thing we bring to the defense is more than ten years of experience in criminal cases and several hundred cases taken to trial," he said.
