Princess Märtha Louise: Meeting Durek Verrett Changed My Mind on Marriage

Princess Märtha Louise of Norway had no intention of getting married again following her divorce from Ari Behn. However, her stance changed after meeting her now-fiancé, Shaman Durek Verrett.

Speaking to HOLA!’s sister brand HELLO! ahead of their wedding, the Norwegian royal, 52, said, “I had decided not to get married again. But after meeting Durek in 2018, I changed my mind.”

“For me, getting married will seal the closeness between us,” she added. “It’s a way of elevating the energy and entering into a new phase of our relationship.”

King Harald V and Queen Sonja’s daughter, Princess Märtha Louise, married her first husband, Ari, in 2002. The royal and the late author, who shared three kids—Maud Angelica Behn, Leah Isadora Behn and Emma Tallulah Behn—decided to part ways in 2016 and divorced in 2017.

The Princess started dating Shaman Durek in 2018 and confirmed their romance on Instagram in 2019. Three years later, the couple announced their engagement in 2022.

Marriage is a “very spiritual thing” for Durek. “It’s letting the world know this is the person I love in a declaration before family, friends and God,” Durek told HELLO!. “Sealing our relationship in front of the universe is a strong spiritual declaration, and to do that surrounded by the people who love us and who we love, will be wonderful.”

The engaged couple will tie the knot on Aug. 31 at the Hotel Union Geiranger in Geiranger, Norway. When revealing the venue in 2023, the Princess penned, “It means a lot to us to gather our loved ones in a place that is so rich in history and intense nature experiences. Geiranger is the perfect place to embrace our love.”