Festivities are underway for the wedding of Norwegian Princess Märtha Louise and her American partner, self-styled shaman Durek Verrett.
Hundreds of guests have begun arriving in Ålesund, Norway, for a “meet and greet” at a historic hotel. On Friday, they will embark on a sea journey to the picturesque town of Geiranger, located on the shores of a UNESCO World Heritage fjord. The wedding itinerary includes a “light lunch on the boat” with views of majestic mountains and waterfalls.
The couple will exchange vows at a private ceremony on Saturday.
Attendees are expected to include members of the Swedish royal family, social media influencers, and TV personalities, including US reality star and model Cynthia Bailey. Norwegian media report that guests have been asked to refrain from using mobile phones or cameras and to avoid posting on social media during the celebrations.
Princess Märtha Louise, 52, and Mr. Verrett, 49, announced their engagement in 2022. The princess, the eldest daughter of Norwegian King Harald, was previously married to the late writer and artist Ari Behn, with whom she had three daughters: Maud, Leah, and Emma. The couple divorced in 2017, and Mr. Behn, who had openly discussed his struggles with depression, died on Christmas Day 2019.
Princess Märtha Louise has faced controversy in Norway for her involvement in alternative treatments. She lost her “Her Royal Highness” title in 2002 to start her own business. In 2007, she declared herself clairvoyant and ran a school teaching students to “create miracles” and communicate with angels until 2018.
Last year, Märtha Louise shared with the BBC’s Katty Kay that her decision to diverge from traditional royal duties had generated significant “turmoil.”
“There’s been a lot of criticism over the years, especially with me being spiritual – and in Norway, that’s taboo,” she said.
Mr. Durek Verrett describes himself on his website as a sixth-generation shaman, a “servant of God and energy activator,” who “demystifies spirituality” through his “no-nonsense teachings.” In an interview with Vanity Fair, he claimed to have risen from the dead and shared that a relative had predicted in his childhood that he would one day marry a Norwegian princess.
Princess Märtha Louise first revealed her relationship with Mr. Verrett in an Instagram post in 2019. To preempt potential criticism, she stated: “To those of you who feel the need to criticise: Hold your horses. It is not up to you to choose for me or to judge me. Shaman Durek is merely a man I love spending my time with and who fulfils me.”
Despite her support, many Norwegians have been hesitant to fully accept Mr. Verrett. Kristi Marie Skrede, a royal correspondent for Norway’s NRK TV, noted that there is skepticism about his unconventional statements and the cultural differences between him and Norwegian society.
This weekend’s wedding will adhere to a more traditional format, with Parish Priest Margit Lovise Holte officiating according to the Norwegian Church’s wedding liturgy, despite the couple’s spiritual beliefs.
When the engagement was announced, Norway’s state broadcaster NRK reported that Mr. Verrett would move to Norway and join the royal family without receiving a title. The couple has since reportedly purchased a house in Norway.
In 2022, the Norwegian palace stated that Princess Märtha Louise would “relinquish her patronage role” to more clearly differentiate her activities from those of the Royal House of Norway and to avoid misunderstandings. King Harald decided that while she would retain her title, she would not use it in her commercial ventures.
At the time, King Harald told Norwegian reporters that Mr Verrett was “a great guy” and that the two of them “laughed a lot, even in this difficult time. I think both we and he have gained a greater understanding of what this is about, and we’ve agreed to disagree.”
However, over the summer Märtha Louise came under fire after her name and royal title appeared on the label of a commemorative wedding gin created to mark her nuptials.
Ms Skrede said many Norwegians are “tired of this behaviour”, which some feel shows the princess “disrespects” her father. Beloved King Harald, 88, ascended to the throne in 1991 and is one of Europe’s longest-serving monarchs. In April, plans were announced to reduce his public engagements “out of consideration for his age”.
Locals are also upset that Norwegian media is excluded from covering the wedding as the couple has signed deals with Hello! magazine for exclusive coverage. “This means the public won’t know or see anything about it unless they buy the magazine,” Ms Skrede said.
On Wednesday, it was also revealed that the couple has been working with Netflix for a year on what the streaming giant called an “in-depth and moving documentary” on their relationship.
“We’re going more global and there’s nothing more powerful than the love that fuels us,” Mr Verrett wrote on Instagram.
Princess Märtha Louise is King Harald’s eldest child and fourth in line to the throne. Her younger brother, Crown Prince Haakon, will succeed his father as king.