• Crown Princess Mette-Marit expresses regret over her friendship with Jeffrey Epstein.
• She claims to have been "manipulated and deceived" by the late sex offender.
• New documents reveal frequent communications between the princess and Epstein.
• Her relationship with Epstein raises questions about her future as queen.
• The royal family's popularity has decreased amid the scandal.

Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit stated that she was "manipulated and deceived" by convicted U.S. sex offender Jeffrey Epstein, during an interview aired on March 20. This interview sought to clarify their relationship amid the fallout from new Epstein documents released by the U.S. Department of Justice, which disclosed the depth of their prior connections, raising doubts about her potential future as queen, according to Reuters, Dawn, and Le Monde.

In the interview, Mette-Marit disclosed that she regretted her friendship with Epstein, emphasizing that she wished she had never met him. "It is extremely important for me to acknowledge that I did not look into his past more carefully," she said, indicating that their relationship had been friendly; however, she firmly denied any romantic aspect, according to Reuters and Dawn.

Further scrutiny of her relationship with Epstein comes as the royal family faces declining support, with a recent poll indicating that support for the monarchy has decreased from 70% to 60%. The princess has not been accused of any criminal activities but is under pressure to provide a full account of her past dealings with Epstein, who had pleaded guilty to soliciting a minor in 2008, as reported by Le Monde.