Norwegian Princess Weds American Shaman Amid Star-Studded Guests

HELSINKI (AP) — Social media influencers, reality stars, and TV personalities were among the guests as the Norwegian king’s eldest child, Princess Märtha Louise, married an American self-professed shaman on Saturday following three days of festivities.

The 52-year-old Märtha Louise and Durek Verret, who claims to be a sixth-generation shaman from California, were wed in the picturesque small town of Geiranger. This stunning location, set on a fjord, is one of Norway’s major tourist attractions.

The three-day celebration that began on Thursday culminated in a wedding ceremony held in a large white tent set up on a lush lawn.

The couple sold the wedding photo rights to British celebrity magazine Hello! and the film rights to Netflix. These deals sparked protests from Norwegian media, arguing that it goes against local customs. Both Märtha Louise and Verret have often criticized the press while promoting themselves on social media.

The 87-year-old King Harald, who has faced health challenges in recent years, attended his daughter’s wedding. He was accompanied by Queen Sonja and other members of the Norwegian royal family. Crown Princess Victoria and her husband Prince Daniel represented the Swedish royal family, along with her brother, Prince Carl Philip, and his wife Princess Sofia. No other European royals were present at the wedding.

The wedding occurs amid ongoing criticism of the couple’s actions and declining support for the Norwegian royals. The royal family has also been dealing with negative reports about an unruly family member facing preliminary domestic violence charges.

Märtha Louise and Verret, 49, have stirred headlines with their unconventional beliefs. Although she is fourth in line to the Norwegian throne, Märtha Louise announced in 2022 that she would no longer officially represent the Norwegian royal house.

The princess, who has kept her title, claims she can communicate with angels. Verret, on the other hand, asserts he interacts with various spirits and possesses a medallion that he says wards off spells and cures diseases.

The couple got engaged in 2022. Post-marriage, Verret will not have a royal title or official duties.

In a 2019 agreement, Märtha Louise and Verret pledged not to use her royal connections or title for commercial purposes. However, earlier this year, Märtha Louise labeled bottles of gin with her title and launched the brand in time for the wedding, defying King Harald’s directive not to profit from her royal status. The label was later changed.

Märtha Louise has three children from her previous marriage to Ari Behn, whom she divorced in 2017 after 14 years of marriage.

Source: Associated Press