Norway’s royal family has spent much of 2026 trying to steady itself. Its latest headache comes from an unexpected place: the cockpit. Espen Høiby, Queen Mette-Marit's brother, is being sued by 60 former students of Pilot Flight Academy, the flight school he co-owned. Through his attorney, he denies any wrongdoing.
© NTBThe news was shared by the Norwegian public broadcaster NRK, and the timing couldn't be worse for the royal palace. King Haakon and Queen Mette-Marit have been on the throne for two months, and the new reign seemed to be moving past a difficult stretch for the family.
In February, Mette-Marit publicly apologized after newly released Epstein files revealed the extent of her contact with Jeffrey Epstein. Her son, Marius Borg Høiby, was sentenced in June to four years in prison on charges that include two counts of rape. Norway’s Court of Appeal will rehear the case beginning February 9, 2027.
An expensive crash landing
Pilot Flight Academy was among the most expensive schools in Norway, NRK reports. The school’s money troubles were already making headlines in Norwegian business press circles by late 2025. It filed for bankruptcy right after New Year’s. About 40 employees lost their jobs, and around 160 students lost their places in the program. Many of them had prepaid tuition of around $26,000. Once the school went under, that money was gone.
The fallout reached Norway’s parliament, where lawmakers debated relief measures for the stranded students, including deferring repayment of their student loans.
© NTB ROYThe case against Høiby
Backed by Parat, the Norwegian union providing their legal assistance, 60 of those students have filed a damages claim against Høiby and Per Mikael Eriksson, who served as the school’s CEO and board chair. Among other things, the students argue that management should have filed for bankruptcy much sooner. Their side reportedly contends that Høiby was making the school’s real decisions behind the scenes. How much they’re seeking in compensation hasn’t been disclosed.
Their case leans heavily on a report from bankruptcy trustee Kåre Jølberg, who said there were grounds to suspect fraud and referred the matter to police, reports NRK. The report lists possible violations like breaching the legal duty to file for bankruptcy, accounting offenses, and fraud. The concern at the heart of it is that the school kept collecting tuition from students while its finances were already untenable.
Jølberg advised students who lost money to consider pursuing claims against individual members of the board.
© Getty ImagesHøiby’s defense
Høiby’s attorney, Kristoffer Aasebø, rejects the claims. He told NRK there’s no basis for suing his client, stressing that Høiby never held a seat on Pilot Flight Academy’s board and never represented the school to its students. NRK’s breakdown of the ownership structure, however, shows that Høiby was tied to the school on paper: through his crew-staffing company, AAP Aviation, which became the academy’s largest shareholder in 2022.
It isn’t yet clear whether police will open a criminal investigation. The students, for their part, want those responsible to answer with their personal assets, a rare outcome in Norway that, if it comes to pass, could cost the king’s brother-in-law dearly.
© Patrick van Katwijk
