Princess Märtha Louise of Norway is set to marry American self-proclaimed shaman Durek Verret in a controversial ceremony in southern Norway. Märtha Louise, the king’s eldest child and fourth in line to the Norwegian throne, announced in 2022 that she would no longer officially represent the royal house to be closer to her American fiancé. Verret claims to be a sixth-generation shaman and both he and Märtha Louise have drawn attention for their alternative beliefs, with Märtha Louise claiming to communicate with angels and Verret with spirits. Despite their engagement, Verret will not have any royal titles or duties once married.
Criticism of the couple has mounted following their commercial activities and defying royal guidelines. Märtha Louise and Verret were reported to have labeled bottles of gin with her royal title, launched the brand in time for the wedding, and sold their wedding photo and film rights to British and Netflix. These actions have sparked protests from Norwegian media and have been seen as against local practices. Additionally, Crown Princess Mette-Marit and Crown Prince Haakon’s stepson, Marius Borg Høiby, has been involved in legal issues related to intoxication and drug use, further eroding support for the Norwegian monarchy and prompting discussions about potential changes to the country’s constitution.
The scandals surrounding the royal wedding and Borg Høiby’s actions have prompted the leftwing Socialist Left Party to campaign for a proposal to change the Constitution and abolish the monarchy. Lawmaker Andreas Sjalg Unneland highlighted the fundamental challenges with the monarchy presented by the recent controversies and suggested holding a referendum on the issue. While the proposal is expected to be tabled next month, it is unlikely to gain support from other lawmakers, indicating that the Norwegian monarchy is likely to remain intact for the foreseeable future.
The royal wedding, set to take place in Geiranger, Norway, will be a private event with no publicized guest list. Representatives from various royal families, including Sweden’s Crown Princess Victoria and her husband Prince Daniel, are expected to attend. However, Denmark’s King Frederik and Queen Mary will not be present. The ceremony will feature reality stars, media influencers, and TV personalities, and will be held in the picturesque town of Geiranger, surrounded by UNESCO World Heritage sites. The Norwegian royal yacht, Norge, will serve as the royal household’s residence during the event.
Princess Märtha Louise, who has three children from her previous marriage to Ari Behn, divorced in 2017 after 14 years of marriage. While she is the first child of King Harald, her younger brother, Haakon, remains first in line to the throne under the 1990 constitutional change that allowed for gender-neutral succession. Despite the controversies and issues surrounding the royal family, the wedding of Märtha Louise and Verret is expected to be a lavish affair with royal attendees and media coverage. The future of the Norwegian monarchy remains uncertain as discussions about potential reforms continue amidst the ongoing controversies.
