Backlash grows as King of Norway's rapist stepson carried the coffin of the late Harald V after being released from house arrest

The new King of Norway's rapist stepson has been seen carrying the coffin of the late Harald V, prompting fierce backlash from royal supporters. Marius Borg Høiby, 29, joined members of the royal family to carry his step-grandfather's coffin from the Royal Palace to the palace chapel on Monday. By his side were King Haakon, Princess Märtha Louise, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus. His mother, Queen Mette-Marit, also joined the procession in what was her first official appearance since her husband became king.Høiby is currently serving his four-year prison sentence under house arrest at the Skaugum Estate while he appeals his June conviction for two counts of rape.Norwegian police confirmed on Monday that Høiby will also be allowed to temporarily leave his confinement to attend King Harald's funeral on 9 September.Police prosecutor Oda Karterud said: 'The public prosecutor deemed that there were grounds to grant the requests for leave submitted by Høiby in connection with the death. Leave has been granted.'Høiby, who was born to Queen Mette-Marit before her marriage to King Haakon, had already been given permission to visit the 89-year-old monarch in hospital shortly before his death on Friday. But the decision to temporarily release Høiby from house arrest so he could attend the late king's ceremonies has deeply angered royal fans, many of whom strongly condemn his presence at such a somber occasion. Marius Borg Høiby, pictured alongside King Haakon , Princess Märtha Louise, Crown Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus carrying the late king King Harald V's coffin from the Royal Palace on Monday, is currently serving his four-year prison sentence under house arrest after being found guilty in June of two counts of rape The disgraced son of Norway's newly appointed Queen Mette-Marit has since appealed against the conviction and is awaiting a new trial, meaning he remains under house arrest at the Skaugum Estate while his case is reconsideredTaking to X, one person wrote: 'I don’t know what a convicted criminal is doing at the funeral, especially when he’s not even family of the deceased. But the Norwegians will know what they’re doing.'Another said, 'The rest of us would never be given this much freedom after being convicted of rape,' while a third added, 'What a slap in the face of his victims!' A fourth wrote: 'They can love him a lot, but having a convict carry the king's coffin, I think that's going too far!' Høiby was convicted in June after a lengthy criminal case which also saw him found guilty of 32 other offences, including drug ofhobiyfences, violence against a former partner and breaches of restraining orders. He was acquitted of two further rape charges. His conviction for rape has since been appealed, with the case now set to go before a new trial. In the meantime, his four-year sentence has will not be upheld, although Høiby remains subject to house arrest and electronic monitoring. The case has cast a shadow over Norway's royal family at an already-turbulent time, with Høiby's mother becoming queen following the death of King Harald. Harald died on Friday after spending weeks in hospital in Oslo with haemolytic anaemia, a condition that sees red blood cells destroyed more quickly than they can be replaced. Immediately after his death, his son, Crown Prince Haakon, became King Haakon VIII. while Mette-Marit - who has been battling health issues of her own - became Queen. King Haakon is due to take the oath to Norway's constitution today as he begins his reign.But the new monarch faces a number of challenges, including the fallout from his wife's former friendship with convicted sex offender Jeffrey Epstein and the crinimal case involving her son. Mette-Marit has largely stayed out of public life in recent months after undergoing a lung transplant in June. Høiby (pictured in a court sketch) was convicted in June after a lengthy criminal case which also saw him found guilty of 32 other offences, including drug offences, violence against a former partner and breaches of restraining orders. He was acquitted of two further rape charges Pictured: Marius Borg Høiby with his mother Queen Mette-Marit in June 2022 Queen Mette-Marit was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, a progressive condition that causes scarring of the lungs, in 2018, and has largely stayed out of the public eye after undergoing a lung transplant in JuneShe was diagnosed with pulmonary fibrosis, a progressive condition that causes scarring of the lungs, in 2018. Earlier this year, she apologised for her associated with Epstein after details of their relationship emerged in files released by the US Department of Justice. The Queen said she had been 'manipulated' by the late disgraced financier, and insisted she had not known he was a predatory abuser of teenage girls and young women.She also said she had never witnessed anything illegal during their friendship, according The Telegraph. Meanwhile, thousands of Norwegians have been paying their respects to King Harald since his death, leaving flowers, cards and candles outside the Royal Palace in Oslo.The king's coffin was brought to the palace on Friday after his death in hospital, while tens of thousands of mourners have attended memorial services in churches and cathedrals across the country.Harald, Norway's longest-serving monarch in modern times, had suffered mounting health problems in his final years and gradually reduced his official duties before his death.Meanwhile, Norway's new King Haakon VIII has seemingly made a subtle gesture of support for his disgraced stepson. A family portrait that depicted a young Høiby resting his head on his stepfather's shoulder was displayed on a cabinet behind Haakon, 53, during his first speech to the nation since becoming king. The televised address was filmed inside the Hall of Mirrors at the Royal Palace in Oslo after the death of Haakon's father, Harald V, plunged the nation into mourning last week. The Norwegian royal family has also continued to post pictures of Høiby after he was handed a four-year sentence for a string of offences. One such photo was included in an official tribute to Harald, who died while receiving treatment for haemolytic anaemia at the age of 89, on the palace's official Instagram account last evening. The snowy Christmas portrait was taken at Skaugum Palace in 2008 and showed an 11-year-old Høiby sitting next to his step-grandmother, Queen Sonja, as the royal family 'grilled sausages over a campfire, built a snowman and went sledding'. Høiby also appeared as a toddler in an official photo released by the palace to mark King Haakon and Queen Mette-Marit's 25th wedding anniversary, as fans online felt the decision was an 'unbelievable mistake' in light of the sentencing.