Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit is once again under intense public scrutiny after a new investigation raised fresh questions about her past association with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. The report suggests there may be more to the uncomfortable incident she described during a rare televised interview earlier this year.
After remaining silent for eight weeks, Mette-Marit sat down with Norway’s public broadcaster NRK on March 19 to address the controversy surrounding her former contact with Epstein. The interview, which lasted around 20 minutes, marked her first detailed public comments on the matter.
While many praised the Crown Princess for speaking openly, others felt the interview left significant questions unanswered. Critics noted that Epstein had already been convicted of soliciting prostitution from a minor before Mette-Marit became acquainted with him, making the relationship particularly controversial.
“He Made Me Feel Unsafe”
During the interview, Mette-Marit recalled a troubling experience while staying at Epstein’s Palm Beach mansion. She said he placed her in a situation that left her feeling deeply uncomfortable.
“On the last day of our stay in Palm Beach, he put me in a situation that made me feel so unsafe that I called home to speak with Haakon,” she explained.
Although she admitted maintaining contact with Epstein for a period afterward, she said she eventually realized he had manipulated her.
“I think it was because he was so manipulative and took advantage of the fact that we had a mutual friend. I’m naive. I like to believe the best in people. But I eventually chose to end the relationship because of episodes like that.”
When asked whether she had ever witnessed anything illegal or anything that hinted at the crimes later uncovered, Mette-Marit replied that she had not.
“Everyone I met with Epstein was an adult. I never saw anything illegal, but he behaved toward me in a way that I did not like.”
She declined to elaborate further. Crown Prince Haakon stepped in during the interview, saying only that his wife had been placed in “a situation that made her feel unsafe” and wanted to leave.
TV2 Report Reveals New Details
Now, a new investigation by Norwegian broadcaster TV2 has shed additional light on what may have happened during that stay in Florida.
According to the report, emails exchanged between Epstein and Mette-Marit in January 2013 suggest he asked the Crown Princess to contact a 17-year-old girl whom he described as his goddaughter.
The email exchange reportedly began with a request from Epstein that made Mette-Marit hesitate.
“Nooo, that’s too embarrassing. I’m that shy,” she allegedly replied.
Epstein responded:
“Please, it’s for my goddaughter.”
Mette-Marit initially agreed to consider the request, writing that she would “try to gather some courage after the beach.”
However, only hours later she changed her mind.
“Jeffrey, I’m not going to call her. It makes me uncomfortable. Instead, I’ll prepare a gift for your goddaughter,” she reportedly wrote.
Epstein then replied that the girl was 17 years old and had thought the call would be fun, adding that he did not want Mette-Marit to feel awkward.
Palace Declines Further Comment
TV2 asked the Norwegian Royal House whether this email exchange was the same incident Mette-Marit referred to during her NRK interview. The Palace declined to provide any additional clarification, saying the Crown Princess did not wish to comment further.
The broadcaster noted that the reported emails are consistent with an official statement released in 2019, when Mette-Marit’s connection to Epstein first became public.
At the time, the Royal House explained that she ended the relationship after realizing Epstein was attempting to use his friendship with her to strengthen his own connections with influential people.
Renewed Debate
The newly reported emails have reignited debate in Norway about the Crown Princess’s past relationship with Epstein and whether her recent interview fully explained what happened.
While there is no indication that Mette-Marit was involved in or aware of Epstein’s criminal activities, the latest revelations have prompted renewed public discussion about the extent of their contact and the circumstances surrounding their final meeting.
For now, the Norwegian Palace has made it clear that Mette-Marit does not intend to provide any further explanation, leaving many of the lingering questions unanswered.
