On December 25, the Norwegian royal family attended the traditional Christmas service. Arriving under a thick fog, the members of the royal family were only six: the royal couple, the heir couple and their two children. Where were Princess Märtha Louise and her husband, the shaman Durek Verrett? The daughter of King Harald V reveals the terrible reason for their absence at this Christmas mass which brings back painful memories for the royal family.
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Princess Märtha Louise explains her absence from the royal family at Christmas
Every year, the Norwegian royal family attends Christmas mass on December 25. Crown Prince Haakon and Princess Märtha Louise, the two children of King Harald and Queen Sonja, are usually present with their own children. This year, the royal couple arrived at Holmenkollen Church under thick fog, accompanied by Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette-Marit and their children, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus. Where were Princess Märtha Louise and her husband?
In 2024, the Norwegian royal family was not spared from misfortunes and controversies. Between the illness of Crown Princess Mette-Marit and the arrest of her eldest son for serious crimes, King Harald V himself came close to the worst. Emergency repatriated from Malaysia, the Norwegian sovereign had a pacemaker fitted in February. How can we forget the controversial remarriage of Princess Märtha Louise with Durek Verrett, the guru of American stars, which took place on August 31? Despite the controversies surrounding the shaman, King Harald accepted his daughter’s sentimental choice, and apparently, the newlyweds were even invited to Christmas mass. Princess Märtha Louise, 53, wanted to put an end to all rumors by revealing the sad cause of their absence at Christmas.
Read also: The Christmas photo of three generations of Norwegian sovereigns: the royal family poses without Princess Ingrid Alexandra’s brothers
Shaman Durek on dialysis three times a week
“To avoid any misunderstanding in the press: Unfortunately, we cannot go to church today”wrote Princess Märtha Louise on her Instagram account, wishing to justify her absence at Christmas mass. “Durek is in the hospital on dialysis”explains the sister of the future king of Norway. Her husband suffers from a serious illness and must undergo dialysis three times a week. December 25 “is one of those days” where he had to go to the hospital.
As for Princess Märtha Louise, she too was ill on Christmas Day. “I am very ill and I cannot come because of that”explains Princess Märtha Louise. “It’s sad that we have to justify why we are not in church, so as not to create speculation about discord in the family, which is not the case. We still love each other. Fortunately. We would have come if we could. But it didn’t work this year.”
Princess Märtha Louise and the shaman Durek attended Christmas mass with the royal family in 2019. That year, not yet married, Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett made their first major appearance as a couple to the royal family. As they left the church, the royal family learned the terrible news. The artist Ari Behn, ex-husband of the princess and father of her three daughters, killed himself.
For a long time, the shaman Durek wanted to remain discreet about his health concerns, threatening to attack the media which reported them. Shaman Durek asserts his right to privacy but the real problem lies in the opposition to his speech. Durek Verrett denounces conventional medicine and advocates alternative medicine methods. He himself sells his services to cure various illnesses thanks to his powers. In Norway, King Harald had to intervene publicly to moderate the comments of his son-in-law who had criticized the care provided in hospitals during the pandemic. Durek Verrett also sold magical talismans which he claimed could cure covid and cancer. King Harald then revealed that Durek had taken advantage of the very competent Norwegian health system, due to his various health problems which he treated in Norway. Frequent hospitalizations which would certainly be very costly if he had to do them in his country, the United States.
Nicolas Fontaine
Editor-in-chief
Nicolas Fontaine has been a designer-editor and author for numerous Belgian and French brands and media. A specialist in royal family news, Nicolas founded the site Histoires royales of which he is the editor-in-chief. [email protected]
