Sven O. Høiby

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Sven Olav Bjarte Høiby (November 14, 1936 – March 21, 2007) was the father of Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway. Høiby worked for several years as a journalist, advertiser and publisher. He and Mette-Marit's mother, Marit Tjessem, were divorced in 1984. After the divorce Mette-Marit grew up with her mother, while visiting her father regularly on weekends ([1]).

Sven O. Høiby became something of a controversial figure following his daughter's marriage to the Crown Prince. The national tabloids and especially the gossip magazine Se og Hør printed several stories where he gave interviews and was presented in less than flattering situations.

A book recently published by a former Se og Hør journalist revealed that Høiby was being paid upwards to 400 000 NOK a year by the magazine to appear in stories.

During this period he made several outspoken comments, and he announced that he was writing a book about Mette-Marit's young son, Marius, her child from a previous relationship. The book never materialised, but the relationship between father and daughter had been strained by this, and Høiby giving information about her to the tabloids. Høiby further estranged himself from his daughter by marrying Renate Barsgard, a fomer stripper half his age. The couple divorced after three months.

The magazine and other tabloids have been criticized for taking advantage of a man who seemed to have a less than sound judgment on what kind of articles to participate in. In the book "En helt vanlig dag på jobben" ("A completely ordinary day at work") journalist Håvar Melnæs revealed that as Høiby had financial problems he never said no to any suggestions from Se og Hør ([2]).

Father and daughter had reportedly reconciled some time before his death and he was among other events invited to attend the baptism of Princess Ingrid Alexandra in 2004.

August 25, 2006, Høiby told Se og Hør that he had been diagnosed with lung cancer and he died on March 21, 2007, aged 70 ([3]).