Awkward, crown princess responds to revelation of contacts with Epstein

The published documents in the Jeffrey Epstein case also cast an unpleasant light on the Norwegian royal family. The documents show that Crown Princess Mette-Marit was in close contact with Epstein between 2011 and 2014. Their email correspondence appears intimate and familiar.

According to Tagesspiegel, Norwegian media reports that her name appears at least a thousand times in the documents, and the exchange of messages also included personal and inappropriate comments.

For example, she asked him whether it was "inappropriate for a mother to suggest a screen saver for her 15-year-old son featuring two naked women carrying surfboards." At the same time, she described him as "very charming."

When Epstein wrote in 2012 that he was in Paris "on the hunt for a wife," she replied that the French capital was "good for adultery," but that "Scandinavians produce better women."

Mette-Marit also visited Epstein in person, spending several days at his home in Florida. She only broke off contact in 2014 when she got the impression that he was trying to take advantage of her position.

After the case was publicized, she admitted to a serious lapse in judgment and regretted not having thoroughly investigated his past. She described the whole situation as "embarrassing." Experts point out that the case highlights the failure of security mechanisms surrounding the royal family.

The revelations come at a sensitive time, with the princess's son facing serious allegations of sexual assault.

(pir)