The death of Harald V of Norway seems to have turned the House of Glücksburg into the main focus among Europe’s royal families. Just a few days ago, all eyes were on the Royal Palace in Oslo, and now that same spotlight has shifted to the man who has been making headlines almost daily for the past two years, Marius Borg.
© OLE BERG-RUSTENQueen Mette-Marit's son is in preventive custody after being sentenced to four years in prison, a measure he is serving from Skaugum Estate, the traditional residence of the country’s crown princes, and it is precisely this situation that has once again drawn attention to the crimes for which he has been found guilty. After he appealed the sentence, the Oslo court has gone back over everything that happened, without giving any reprieve to the son of Norway’s new queen.
The new legal setback for Marius Borg
On Monday morning, the Oslo District Court agreed to extend Marius Borg’s detention for another four weeks. According to the newspaper Aftenposten, the eldest son of Queen Mette-Marit had already agreed in advance to remain in custody under electronic monitoring, a temporary measure that can be extended at least until October 5, once again putting the spotlight on the son of the country’s new queen.
© GTRESThe court ruling also states that the young royal remains obligated to undergo periodic drug testing, as this is a form of preventive detention that is subject to various conditions which, if not met, could shift the course of the entire legal process. All of this is part of the proceedings he faces after being found guilty of as many as 34 offenses, including possession of illegal substances. As a result, while he serves preventive detention at the estate, the Queen’s son must undergo a series of tests to certify that everything is being carried out correctly.
© Ian GavanFor this reason, Queen Mette-Marit's son is subject to a testing schedule set at the discretion of the prosecutor’s office, in coordination with the Norwegian Correctional Service. However, within the strict regime he must follow, the authorities have granted him special permission to attend the state funeral this Wednesday for his step-grandfather, King Harald V.
© Julian ParkerThis decision opens the door for a scene similar to the one during the transfer of the monarch’s coffin to play out again in the coming days, when Mette-Marit's eldest son appeared as one more member of the Norwegian Royal Family. On this occasion, he is expected to be side by side with every member of Europe’s royal houses, as Harald V’s funeral has prompted the largest security operation in the country’s history to date, due to the presence of some of the world’s most important leaders at the monarch’s final farewell.
