Norway Crown Princess Maintained Ties With Convicted Sex Offender

Newly unsealed DOJ documents reveal Princess Mette-Marit's close friendship with Jeffrey Epstein continued for years after his pedophile conviction.

Published on Feb. 7, 2026

Got story updates? Submit your updates here. ›

Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit maintained a close friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein for three years after his pedophile conviction, despite acknowledging through her own Google search that she found troubling information about his criminal history. The Norwegian royal palace's handling of the Epstein connection has also been criticized for minimizing the extent and duration of the relationship and misleading the public.

Why it matters

The Princess Mette-Marit scandal exemplifies the moral failings of global elites who believe they operate above the rules and standards expected of ordinary citizens. It also highlights institutional dishonesty within the Norwegian monarchy, fueling republican sentiments in the egalitarian country and raising questions about the monarchy's legitimacy.

The details

Crown Princess Mette-Marit acknowledged in a 2011 email to Epstein that her Google search revealed troubling information about the convicted sex offender, yet she continued cultivating the friendship. The newly released DOJ documents show the contacts continued through 2014, contradicting the palace's previous claims that the relationship was limited to 2011-2013. Palace spokesperson Guri Varpe also provided inaccurate details that misled the Norwegian public for years.

  • In 2011, Princess Mette-Marit acknowledged in an email to Epstein that her Google search revealed troubling information about his criminal history.
  • The relationship between Princess Mette-Marit and Epstein continued through 2014, despite the palace's previous claims that it was limited to 2011-2013.
  • The DOJ documents exposing the extent of the relationship were newly unsealed in 2026.

The players

Princess Mette-Marit

The Crown Princess of Norway and future queen consort, who maintained a close friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein for years after his pedophile conviction.

Jeffrey Epstein

An American financier and convicted sex offender who had a close friendship with Princess Mette-Marit despite his criminal history.

Guri Varpe

A spokesperson for the Norwegian royal palace who provided inaccurate details about the extent and duration of Princess Mette-Marit's relationship with Epstein, misleading the Norwegian public.

Got photos? Submit your photos here. ›

What they’re saying

“We must not let individuals continue to damage public trust in our institutions.”

— Jonas Gahr Støre, Prime Minister of Norway

“Alarm bells should have rung within palace oversight systems, yet institutional safeguards failed completely.”

— Carl-Erik Grimstad, Court expert

What’s next

The Norwegian monarchy faces an uncertain future as public confidence in the institution is eroded by the Princess Mette-Marit scandal and other recent controversies.

The takeaway

The Princess Mette-Marit scandal highlights the moral failings of global elites who believe they operate by different rules, and the institutional dishonesty that shields powerful figures from accountability. It underscores the growing public skepticism towards hereditary privilege and the need for greater transparency from public leaders.