As the Norwegian royal family mourns King Harald following his death aged 89, attention has also turned to Marius Borg Høiby, the son of Queen Mette-Marit.
In June, Marius was sentenced to four years in prison after being found guilty of rape and other offences. Since July, he has been out of jail and under house arrest at the royal estate of Skaugum, while his legal team appeals the sentencing.
But despite being under house arrest, Marius, 29, has been granted permission to attend his stepgrandfather's funeraland was pictured at Oslo Cathedral on Wednesday being greeted by Preses Olav Fykse Tveit and the Bishop of Oslo, Sunniva Gylver, as they awaited the arrival of the casket of late King Harald V of Norway.
© AFP via Getty ImagesMarius walked behind Harald's eldest grandchild, Maud Angelica Behn, helping to move the casket from the palace's Red Salon. Given his conviction this summer, the appearance by King Haakon's stepson on 31 August took some by surprise.
© AFP via Getty ImagesBut to exclude Marius from his private and state funeral would likely go against King Harald's inclusive nature as a monarch, Se og Hør royal reporter Caroline Vagle explains.
© NTB/AFP via Getty ImagesShe told HELLO!'s US royal correspondent, Alex Hurtado, that whether it was the King's wish to have Marius included in the funeral proceedings, one cannot say for certain. But she adds: "We know that King Harald was a very generous and warm person, who believed in looking after everyone – including those who find themselves on the outside of society."
WATCH LIVE: PRINCE WILLIAM AND PRINCESS ANNE ATTEND KING HARALD'S FUNERAL
It is also "not unnatural," Caroline says, that Marius was present when the family said goodbye to King Harald.
"In fact, the ceremony at the Palace was considered a private family ceremony," she explains. "But I understand why many people react to his prominent position, precisely because of the seriousness of the situation surrounding Marius."
© UK Press via Getty ImagesMeanwhile, Royal commentator and historian Ole-Jørgen Schulsrud-Hansen points out that during the succession in 1991, after King Olav V died, the same ceremony was "very private," with "only one picture" existing from it.
"Due to the ceremony's initial private nature, it was natural for the royal family to include Marius Borg Høiby in the ceremony as one of King Harald's grandchildren," Ole-Jørgen tells HELLO!, noting that the word "grandchildren" has been used by the Norwegian Royal House.
While Marius' appearance was surprising to many, Caroline describes public opinion in Norway as divided.
© UK Press via Getty Images"Many people will understand that a person should be allowed to grieve for someone who was important in his life. At the same time, it is difficult to ignore the situation Marius himself is in," she says.
Although his mother now has a new title, Marius still remains outside the royal house.
"But socially and as a family matter, the situation is of course different. He is the Queen’s son and the King’s stepson. That means he is very close to the innermost circle of the royal family, even though he has no constitutional or representative role. That distinction is important," Caroline says.
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The latest on Marius' legal situation
On Monday morning, the Oslo District Court agreed to extend Marius Borg’s detention for another four weeks. According to Norwegian publication Aftenposten, the eldest son of Queen Mette-Marit had already agreed in advance to remain in custody under electronic monitoring, a temporary measure that can be extended at least until 5 October.
The court ruling also states that the young royal remains obligated to undergo periodic drug testing, as this is a form of preventive detention that is subject to various conditions which, if not met, could shift the course of the entire legal process.
All of this is part of the proceedings he faces after being found guilty of as many as 34 offences, including possession of illegal substances. As a result, while he serves preventive detention at the estate, the Queen’s son must undergo a series of tests to certify that everything is being carried out correctly.
