Milan, 19 March (LaPresse/AP) – This week, prosecutors sought a prison sentence of seven years and seven months for Marius Borg Høiby, the eldest son of Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit, on charges of rape. The verdict is expected at a later date. The defendant’s lawyers, however, have called for his acquittal. Høiby, 29, is the stepson of Crown Prince Haakon, heir to the Norwegian throne. He faces a total of 40 charges, including four counts of rape between 2018 and 2024 against women who, according to prosecutors, were unable to give consent because they were unconscious or incapable of understanding or consenting. The defence lawyers for Høiby, who holds no royal titles or official positions, have stated that there is no evidence of rape in any of the cases.