OSLO: The 28-year-old son of Norway`s crown princess has been charged with raping four women and several acts of violence, and risks up to 10 years in prison, a prosecutor said on Monday.

Marius Borg Hoiby, who was born from a relationship before Crown Princess Mette-Marit married Crown Prince Haakon, has been under investigation since his arrest on August 4 last year on suspicion of assaulting a girlfriend. He is accused of raping four women while they were sleeping. In at least three of the cases, he met the women the same day and had consensual sex before the alleged rapes, public prosecutor Sturla Henriksbo told reporters.

Hoiby is also charged with filming their private body parts without their knowledge. Henriksbo said investigators had video clips and photographs as evidence.

The four rapes allegedly took place in 2018, 2023 and 2024, the last one after the police investigation began.

Other charges against Hoiby include domestic abuse against a former partner and several counts of violence, disturbing the peace, vandalism and violations of restraining orders against another former partner.

The only victim identified by the prosecution was Hoiby`s ex-girlfriend Nora Haukland, whom he is accused of physically and psychologically abusing in 2022 and 2023. `The violence consisted, among other things, of him repeatedly hitting her in the face, including with a clenched fist, choking her, kicking her and grabbing her hard,` the prosecutor said.

The maximum penalty for the offences in the indicment is up to 10 years in jail, he said. `These are very serious acts that can leave lasting scars and destroy lives.` The palace remained tight-lipped after the announcement. `It is for the courts to consider this matter and reach a decision,` spokeswoman Sara Svanemyr said in a comment. The prosecutor said that Hoiby, as a member of the royal family, would not be treated `more lightly or more severely` than anyone else in similar circumstances.-AFP