Princess Märtha Louise of Norway is set to marry again, with American Durek Verrett, a self-proclaimed “shaman”. This union, marked by the couple’s adherence to alternative therapies, has raised questions and criticism within the Norwegian kingdom.
At 52, the eldest daughter of the Norwegian royal couple claims to have clairvoyant gifts and to communicate with angels, a power she has monetized through courses and books. For his part, Durek Verrett, 49, presents himself as a “sixth generation shaman” and markets products such as a medallion supposedly capable of healing.
“I’m very spiritual, it’s so good to be with someone who supports that”confided the princess on Instagram in June 2022, a few days after the announcement of their engagement.
The festivities will kick off on Thursday with a wedding to be held on Saturday in a stunning hotel overlooking the Geiranger Fjord on Norway’s west coast. The 380 guests will include royals such as Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden and her husband, Prince Daniel.
Durek Verrett even claimed that this marriage was actually a remarriage, as he claims to have been a pharaoh in a previous life and to have already married Märtha Louise. These claims and the couple’s business activities, which mix spirituality and commerce, are far from unanimous in Norway, a traditionally wise and rational country.
Faced with criticism, Märtha Louise had to give up all her official duties in 2022, in order to preserve the image of the royal family. However, she has since been called to order several times, including for having put on sale a bottle of gin referring to her title as princess.
Royal historian Trond Norén Isaksen believes it is time to strip Märtha Louise of her princess title. In an op-ed, he wrote that the move would be necessary to avoid further tarnishing King Harald’s legacy. The popularity of the Norwegian royal family has suffered as a result of Princess Märtha Louise and her fiancé’s antics. Support for the monarchy, which was 81 percent in 2017, has fallen to 68 percent, according to a recent poll by public broadcaster NRK.
The criticism has focused on Durek Verrett, who has often been accused of quackery. In one of his books, he claims that cancer is a choice and offers controversial methods to “erase the vaginal imprint” of women who have had multiple sexual partners. He has also claimed that his $222 “Spirit Optimizer” medallion helped him recover from Covid.
Durek Verrett believes he is a victim of racism, comparing his treatment to that of Meghan Markle within the British royal family. “White people are sending us death threats because they don’t want a black man in the royal family”he said.
Despite the controversy, King Harald of Norway, 87, has adopted a conciliatory attitude. He himself had to fight to marry Sonja, a commoner, against the wishes of the establishment. He describes Durek Verrett as a “good guy and very funny” with whom it is possible to “work out differences”.
Princess Märtha Norway Royalty
