“And on the pedestal, these words appear:My name is Ozymandias, King of Kings;Look on my Works, ye Mighty, and despair! The latest allegations against Marius Borg Hoiby, son of crown princess Mette-Marit, have shaken the Nordic kingdom to its pragmatic soul. The princess herself is now embroiled in fresh controversy over hundreds of emails that tie her to Jeffrey Epstein. Something broader is happening: Monarchy itself as an idea, as pageantry, as moral fiction, is tilting irrevocably towards irrelevance. In moments of real crisis — Brexit, prorogation, aiding and abetting a genocide — the Crown cannot act, and cannot speak.

Source: Irish Examiner February 07, 2026 15:00 UTC