19 AUGUST 2003
Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway is celebrating a number of happy landmark occasions this week. The princess, currently pregnant with her first child with husband Crown Prince Haakon, celebrated the couple's second wedding anniversary on August 17, and on Tuesday, the young royal rang in her 30th birthday.

However, the former single mum also has some not-so-rosy happenings in store over the next few days, as her brother, Espen Hoiby, 44, is appearing in court to face charges that he assaulted his girlfriend.

And, reports Norway's Dagbladet, Mr Hoiby's defence lawyer may claim that media pressure surrounding his sister Mette-Marit's strained relationship with their father contributed to stress factors leading to the alleged incidents.

The princess will not comment on her father Sven Hoiby, and is said to be not on speaking terms with him. One reason behind the estrangement is Sven's reported plan to write a book about her son from a previous relationship, Marius, whose father was once convicted of drug possession.