Princess moves to tears as she finally breaks silence on Epstien connection

A key royal has reacted to mounting public pressure over her connection to Jeffrey Epstein, regretting her friendship with the convicted paedophile financier.

Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway moved to tears during a  television appearance on March 19, penning up about her past ties with Epstein.

The 52-year-old, seated alongside her husband Crown Prince Haakon at their Skaugum residence, made a shocking admission in an interview with Norwegian broadcaster NRK.

"It is incredibly important for me to take responsibility for not checking his background more carefully. And to take responsibility for being so manipulated and deceived as I was," she told the outlet.

With breaking voice, ashe emphasised that the victims deserved justice, expressing profound anger that they had not received it.

The royal disclosed that on the final day of her Palm Beach visit, the disgraced financeir created a situation that left her feeling so uncomfortable she telephoned her husband's residence.

She went on, "Epstein behaved towards me in a way that I didn't like. I can't hide that."

Crown Prince Haakon appeared to support his wife as he recalled the conversation, describing how his wife had been placed in circumstances that made her feel unsafe and unwilling to remain there.

She was named in the US Department of Justice's release of Epstein-related files on January 30, which included email exchanges from October 2012.