Man Breaks Into Home of Norway's Queen Mette-Marit's Son at Skaugum

An unknown man broke into the home of Marius Borg Høiby, 29, the son of Norway's Queen Mette-Marit, at Skaugum on a Friday night shortly after midnight. Police arrested the man, according to Hello! magazine.

Skaugum is the royal estate outside Oslo. Høiby's home there is a few hundred metres from the main house used by King Haakon and Queen Mette-Marit.

According to the same report, the intruder banged and kicked the door before getting inside. He then pushed Høiby during the break-in. Høiby forced the man outside and phoned the police. Officers reached the house a minute and a half after the call.

Police have opened a criminal case on suspicion of assault and unlawful entry. A criminal case is the formal investigation police open when they believe an offence may have been committed. The case is the next stage in the process, and no charges have been reported.

Høiby's own legal position is a separate matter. In June, the Oslo District Court sentenced him to four years in prison for two rapes, abuse in close relationships and violence. He has appealed his most serious convictions, including the rape and domestic abuse counts. An appeal asks a higher court to review a verdict, and the sentence stands until that review is complete.

He has been in custody for 39 weeks. For 16 of those weeks he has worn an ankle bracelet, an electronic tag that alerts the authorities if a person leaves a set area. He remains under house arrest at Skaugum, which means he must stay at that address.

The incident adds a new event to a case that has already drawn wide public attention in Norway.