this post was submitted on 01 Feb 2026
708 points (99.2% liked)

World News

53001 readers
2541 users here now

A community for discussing events around the World

Rules:

Similarly, if you see posts along these lines, do not engage. Report them, block them, and live a happier life than they do. We see too many slapfights that boil down to "Mom! He's bugging me!" and "I'm not touching you!" Going forward, slapfights will result in removed comments and temp bans to cool off.

We ask that the users report any comment or post that violate the rules, to use critical thinking when reading, posting or commenting. Users that post off-topic spam, advocate violence, have multiple comments or posts removed, weaponize reports or violate the code of conduct will be banned.

All posts and comments will be reviewed on a case-by-case basis. This means that some content that violates the rules may be allowed, while other content that does not violate the rules may be removed. The moderators retain the right to remove any content and ban users.


Lemmy World Partners

News !news@lemmy.world

Politics !politics@lemmy.world

World Politics !globalpolitics@lemmy.world


Recommendations

For Firefox users, there is media bias / propaganda / fact check plugin.

https://addons.mozilla.org/en-US/firefox/addon/media-bias-fact-check/

founded 2 years ago
MODERATORS
 

Norway’s crown princess has become embroiled in another scandal after newly unsealed files appeared to show her years of extensive contact with the late child sex offender Jeffrey Epstein.

The latest tranche of Epstein files, released on Friday by the US justice department, appear to include nearly 1,000 mentions of the crown princess, Mette-Marit.

The files include scores of emails traded between the two, suggesting they were in contact from 2011 to 2014, the Norwegian daily VG reported. Mette-Marit married the future king of Norway in 2001.

The revelations come at a sensitive time for the royal family. The trial of Mette-Marit’s son, Marius Borg Høiby for rape is due to begin on Tuesday. He was born from a relationship before she married Crown Prince Haakon

Høiby is facing 38 charges, including the alleged rape of four women as well as alleged assault and drug offences. If convicted he could face up to 16 years in prison. Høiby has denied the most serious charges, including those of sexual abuse.

top 50 comments
sorted by: hot top controversial new old
[–] Ardyssian@sh.itjust.works 18 points 21 hours ago (3 children)

How can one man be so infuriatingly involved in so much corruption globally? I just want to live in peace, urgh

[–] duelistsage@sh.itjust.works 2 points 9 hours ago

The world really is run by a cabal of pedophiles.

Who knew

[–] lmagitem@lemmy.zip 5 points 15 hours ago (1 children)

That is good for your goal to live in peace if we take it seriously though. Catching so many corrupt and vile people at the same time is a great thing.

[–] Ardyssian@sh.itjust.works 2 points 12 hours ago* (last edited 12 hours ago)

Fair point, but I have my doubts we'll take it seriously, considering our collective response so far to world altering events such as Climate Change, Panama Papers, etc.

[–] possumparty@lemmy.blahaj.zone 9 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

Mossad wants dirt on everyone

[–] Alaknar@sopuli.xyz 1 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

But not russians?

The only russians to pop up in the files are informants or business partners, nothing else.

There is, however, quite a bit of dirt on various Israelites.

[–] SpacetimeMachine@lemmy.world 4 points 15 hours ago

They've released less than 1% of the files. Still plenty of things we have yet to see.

[–] Scrollone@feddit.it 18 points 23 hours ago (6 children)

I've heard that this is so bad that it might be the end of the royal family in Norway.

Damn, I wish! I'm against all kinds of kings.

load more comments (6 replies)
[–] 5715@feddit.org 9 points 22 hours ago (4 children)

How can "the most democratic country" have a monarchy?

[–] samus12345@sh.itjust.works 7 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

The US doesn't have a monarchy, but we ended up with a king anyway.

[–] 5715@feddit.org 2 points 16 hours ago (2 children)

What has the US to do with this?

[–] Viceversa@lemmy.world 4 points 15 hours ago
[–] samus12345@sh.itjust.works 0 points 13 hours ago (1 children)

To point out that having a democracy and not having a monarchy doesn't mean much, practically speaking.

[–] 5715@feddit.org 2 points 12 hours ago

Yeah, it's the respect to the right constitution that makes or breaks it

[–] bluesheep@sh.itjust.works 14 points 21 hours ago* (last edited 21 hours ago) (1 children)

Probably for the same reason we still have one in the Netherlands, where a large part of the country can't comprehend abolishing the monarchy because "it's tradition" or "because they do important diplomatic work" (ie brown-nosing other politicians for an idioticly high salary)

[–] raspberriesareyummy@lemmy.world 2 points 20 hours ago

Ik vondt de enige gechillte Nederlander ;) Groeten vanuit Duitsland! (Grapje, ik weet dat niet iedereen Rutte of Wilders in het achterste wil neuken)

[–] Blackmist@feddit.uk 6 points 20 hours ago (1 children)

I'm guessing it's like the UK where they have a monarchy but they don't actually have any real power.

Well, aside from the usual rich person power of being able to commit all sorts of crimes and get away with it.

[–] 5715@feddit.org 4 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

Powerful or not, inherited leadership is undemocratic.

[–] Blackmist@feddit.uk 4 points 16 hours ago (1 children)

Wait until you find out about hereditary peers...

[–] MrsDoyle@sh.itjust.works 5 points 15 hours ago

Not even just the hereditary peers - there are also the 26 Anglican bishops, and the politically appointed lords, eg Mandelson. Senators for life, basically.

[–] FatVegan@leminal.space 4 points 21 hours ago

Tradition is a hell of a thing

[–] Avicenna@programming.dev 12 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

The fact that Mette-Marit was a single mother and the fact that Høiby's father was a convicted felon created controversy. TV 2 later wrote that "merely by existing, Marius Borg Høiby was seen by many as a scandal for the royal family."

He sure lived up to their expectations. Well cheer up guys, at least he can use your tax money to hire himself the best lawyer available.

[–] kalistia@sh.itjust.works 35 points 1 day ago
[–] Deestan@lemmy.world 249 points 2 days ago (31 children)

The movement to get rid of the parasitic monarchy in Norway got a lot of traction this week, so that is nice.

There is an actual hearing in Parliament this tuesday about abolishing the monarchy. Not caused by this but happily strengthened.

[–] SkyeStarfall@lemmy.blahaj.zone 31 points 2 days ago

You can bet that once the inevitable population-wide vote happens on whether to keep the monarchy, I will vote no. I already didn't like having a monarchy from before, now doubly so.

load more comments (30 replies)
[–] queermunist@lemmy.ml 128 points 2 days ago (5 children)

I was told that royal families are all ceremonial and that they don't have any real power, but we keep finding them embroiled with people who have real power.

Really makes you think.

load more comments (5 replies)
[–] Formfiller@lemmy.world 79 points 2 days ago (1 children)
[–] CmdrShepard49@sh.itjust.works 26 points 2 days ago (1 children)

Sounds like the apple didn't fall far from the tree.

[–] FauxLiving@lemmy.world 33 points 2 days ago (1 children)

A lifetime of living without consequence where your every whim is met creates dangerously broken people

[–] mudstickmcgee@sh.itjust.works 11 points 1 day ago* (last edited 1 day ago)

What happened here is actually worse somehow. Mette marit was a "commoner" known on her circles as a fun party/rave girl. The usual drugs included. She had a son (Marius) with someone from that walk of life. He had the chance to turn 8 or 9 i think before having the title of "royalty" thrust uppon him at the same time his single mother got swept away on all sorts of royal adventures.

Not hard at all to see how that can fuck you up royally.

Edit: just remembered she had a sextape from the good old days, and since it was only of interest to us Norwegians and the internett wasn't as big as it is now they've managed to scrub it. Or that might just have been rumors, but I'm like 80% sure i saw it at one of the early 2000's LAN parties.

[–] ComradePenguin@lemmy.ml 50 points 2 days ago (2 children)

He was first sentenced in 2008..

[–] midas22@lemmy.wtf 3 points 12 hours ago* (last edited 12 hours ago)

That part is the most insane to me. She actually looked up Epstein's past after he had just signed that plea deal for child prostitution in 2011 and then replied with a smiley... And then called him "soft hearted", "sweetheart" and "very charming" and used him as a mentor for how to raise her son. That is beyond poor judgment.

load more comments (1 replies)
[–] Tollana1234567@lemmy.today 16 points 1 day ago

all the NONCE kings and princes had ties with epsteins MS kung fu master.

load more comments
view more: next ›