- - Norway’s Prince Haakon Attends the Winter Olympics Amid Royal Scandal at Home

Emily BurackFebruary 18, 2026 at 3:10 AM

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Prince Haakon Attends the Winter Olympics Alex Pantling - Getty Images

Royals are no strangers to attending the Olympics, so it shouldn’t be a shock that Norway’s Crown Prince, Haakon, was in northern Italy this past weekend—but given the unprecedented royal scandal at home, his appearance was a surprising display of “business as usual” for the Crown Prince.

He attended four events, including the men’s freeski big air qualifiers, the cross-country men’s and women’s relay events, and the men’s Nordic large hill ski jumping. Norway currently leads the medal total at these 2026 Winter Olympics, with 13 gold medals and 30 total medals as of this writing. Last week, his parents King Harald and Queen Sonja attended the Games.

Prince Haakon of Norway (r) celebrates the gold medal with the Norwegian relay team. picture alliance - Getty Images

Haakon’s attendance was notable, though, as his wife, Princess Mette-Marit, is facing heightened scrutiny over her past ties to convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. “I would like to express my deepest regret for my friendship with Jeffrey Epstein. It is important for me to apologize to all of you whom I have disappointed,” the Crown Princess said in a new statement. “Some of the content of the messages between Epstein and me does not represent the person I want to be. I also apologize for the situation I have put the Royal Family in, especially the King and Queen.”

The Royal Household added, “The Crown Princess wants to tell about what happened and explain herself in more detail. She cannot do that now. The Crown Princess is in a very demanding situation. She hopes for understanding that she needs time to gather herself.” The “demanding situation” could relate to her health: Mette-Marit, who suffers from a chronic lung disease, will likely need a lung transplant this year.

Prince Haakon and Princess Mette-Marit in late January. Rune Hellestad - Corbis - Getty Images

A sketch of Marius during the trial. ANE HEM - Getty Images

It could also relate to the fact that her son, Marius Borg Høiby, is currently on trial in Oslo, facing 38 criminal charges including rape, harassment, and more. (He pleaded not guilty to some charges, including rape and filming people without their consent, and guilty to some of the assault accusations.) Neither Prince Haakon nor Princess Mette-Marit plan to attend the trial, which began earlier this month, but they were pictured visiting him in prison. “Marius Borg Høiby is not a member of the Royal House of Norway and is therefore autonomous,” Haakon said in a statement. “We care about him, and he is an important member of our family. He is a citizen of Norway and, as such, has the same responsibilities as everyone else — as well as the same rights.”

Prince Haakon watches the Men’s Freeski Big Air Qualification. Frank Heinen/VOIGT - Getty Images

Speaking to reporters earlier this month, Haakon acknowledged there was “a lot happening at once” for his family. “We support Marius in the situation he is in, we look after the other children, they must also be looked after, and I have to look after and take care of the crown princess,” he said. “Fortunately, she takes care of me, too.”

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”