In an interview broadcast on NRK (Norsk Rikskringkasting), Her Royal Highness Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway has publicly addressed her past association with Jeffrey Epstein for the first time, offering an account that acknowledges regret while raising broader questions regarding judgment and responsibility.
Speaking alongside His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon at their residence, Skaugum, the Crown Princess confirmed that she maintained a friendly relationship with Epstein between 2011 and 2014. She described him as “a friend of a friend,” explaining that the introduction came through trusted international contacts connected to her work.
The Crown Princess stated that she relied on those personal networks, as well as her own inclination to see the best in others, when choosing to remain in contact. This included a period following an incident at Epstein’s residence in Palm Beach that she described as having left her feeling unsafe.
However, correspondence later released by the United States Department of Justice and the House Oversight Committee presents a markedly different tone. The emails show exchanges that appear casual and, at times, flippant, a contrast that has drawn public scrutiny.
Among them is a message sent following the wedding of His Royal Highness Hereditary Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg and Countess Stéphanie de Lannoy in October 2012, in which the Crown Princess described the event as “boring.” In the interview, she did not dispute the remark, instead acknowledging the difficulty of seeing such comments made public and the potential for them to cause offense.
Other messages include informal references to relationships and infidelity, which the Crown Princess characterized as “banter” and described in Norwegian as “sleivete,” or careless in tone. The nature of these exchanges, given the recipient, has contributed to ongoing criticism.
The Crown Princess stated that she ultimately severed contact after concluding that Epstein was “a bad person.” She further acknowledged that she should have exercised greater due diligence, including more thoroughly investigating his background, and expressed regret that she did not warn others.
While maintaining that she was unaware of the full extent of Epstein’s criminal activity at the time, she also recognized that her association may have conferred a degree of legitimacy upon him, a consequence she described as difficult to confront in retrospect.
The full NRK interview has been made available for those living outside of Norway:
The Royal Correspondent 