QUESTIONS LEFT UNANSWERED
This was Mette-Marit’s first interview since the magnitude of her contacts with Epstein emerged in January.
The 52-year-old princess is already dealing with the legal woes of her son, Marius Borg Hoiby, whose trial ended on Thursday.
Born from a relationship prior to her marriage to Haakon in 2001, the 29-year-old is accused of four rapes and assaults against ex-girlfriends, allegations he denies, as well as a slew of other minor offences.
Prosecutors have called for a seven-year, seven-month prison sentence, with the verdict due in June.
The crown princess also suffers from an incurable lung disease that makes it difficult for her to breathe at times, and she will likely need a risky lung transplant in the future.
She delayed speaking out about the nature of her relationship with Epstein because of these reasons, she said.
“She doesn’t concretely answer some of the most difficult questions, the heart of the questions,” Harald Stanghelle, a royal commentator for the newspaper of reference Aftenposten, told NRK.
Asked about her future role, she replied that she had faith in the monarchy’s role and in her husband Haakon, and wanted to “stand by his side”.
“If my health permits,” she quickly added.
“Mette is caring, wise and really strong,” the crown prince said. “That’s why I would always want her by my side if something difficult were ever to happen.”