Princess Mette-Marit offers round 2 of apologies, admits she's 'embarrassed'

Norway’s Crown Princess Mette-Marit is back in the headlines, offering a second public apology over her past interactions with the late convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein. 

In a statement released by the palace today, the 52-year-old royal expressed particular regret for the strain her association has caused the Norwegian royal household.

“I also apologise for the situation that I have put the Royal Family in, especially the King and Queen,” she said, acknowledging the ripple effect her actions had on the monarchy.

The controversy stems from recently unsealed US Justice Department documents, which reportedly mention Mette-Marit around 1,000 times among millions of pages. 

Their correspondence, spanning 2011 to 2014, shows that she had repeated contact with Epstein, even traveling to meet him in Oslo, New York, and the Caribbean. 

Emails included in the documents reveal the Crown Princess did her homework on Epstein online, noting it “didn't look too good” in one 2011 message but she still described him as “very charming.” 

Reflecting on her interactions, the Princess admitted she exercised poor judgment and regrets not being more discerning about Epstein’s background. 

“It is simply embarrassing,” she said in her initial statement last week, following the first round of revelations.