CONVICTED rapist Marius Borg Høiby has been seen at his grandfather King Harald’s funeral after being temporarily freed from house arrest.
The disgraced 29-year-old arrived at Oslo Cathedral with his royal step-cousins alongside dozens of world leaders, including Prince William, at the funeral of Norway’s late leader.
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Høiby was found guilty in June on two counts of rapes and assaulting his former girlfriend along with dozens of other offences.
He was sentenced to four years in prison but his lawyers filed for appeal leaving Hoiby on house arrest until a new trial next year.
Høiby is not directly related to the late Harald but is the son of new Queen Mette-Marit and stepson of King Haakon VIII.
He has been serving his detention at Skaugum, a royal residence in Norway.
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As Harald’s health rapidly declined in recent weeks Høiby was allowed to temporarily ignore his house arrest on several occasions.
He was first seen in public visiting the National Hospital on Thursday, August 27, to be alongside Harald and relatives.
He also travelled to Bygdøy Royal Palace and the Royal Palace in Oslo on Friday, August 28, after Harald’s death.
On August 31, Høiby was a pallbearer and helped carry Harald’s coffin through the Royal Palace.
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Høiby was only scheduled to remain on house arrest until September 7, but he was made to stay in detention as Oslo Police argued there was a “clear danger” Høiby could commit further offences.
The shamed royal was kept away from his parents – the new King and Queen of Norway – as he arrived at the funeral this morning.
He walked into the packed venue alongside his step-cousins, the daughters of Princess Märtha Louise before greeting Preses Olav Fykse Tveit and the Bishop of Oslo Sunniva Gylver.
Høiby’s defence attorney, Petar Sekulic, said ahead of the funeral: “He does not want any focus on [the rape convictions] in these days surrounding King Harald’s death.”
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Harald died on August 28 at the age of 89.
He was Europe’s oldest living monarch and had been on the throne since 1991 but was put on royal “sick leave” after falling ill with a blood disorder.
The grand funeral procession started at the Royal Palace in the capital, before moving east towards Oslo Cathedral – where Harald married Queen Sonja in 1968.
The state service will be followed by a private burial in Norway’s royal mausoleum, beneath the castle church.
There are 30 royals, 17 non-royal heads of state and five prime ministers in the funeral procession.
The Prince of Wales is among those in attendance – in place of Charles – and Princess Anne who is the godmother of the new King of Norway.
Under royal precedent, the King doesn’t attend funerals of other heads of state.
Members of the royal families in Sweden, Monaco, the Netherlands, Belgium, Spain, Denmark, Luxembourg, Liechtenstein, Japan and Greece are also at the procession.
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Before his death King Harald was still technically in the line of succession to the British Royal Family.
He was the great-grandson of Edward VII and his godparents included Queen Mary and her son George VI – who were the late Queen Elizabeth’s grandmother and father.