Norway’s Princess Märtha Louise married her longtime boyfriend, American spiritual guru Durek Verrett, on Saturday (August 31, 2024) in a ceremony attended by Norway’s king and members of the royal family but marred by what critics saw as commercialization of the event.
The wedding was the culmination of three days of celebrations for Martha Louise, 52, fourth in line to the throne, and Verrett, 49, a black Californian spiritual healer, after the couple first went public with their relationship in 2019.
The couple were joined in the scenic western town of Geiranger by members of the Swedish and Norwegian royal families as well as friends, social media influencers and Norwegian celebrities.
Märtha Louise, the daughter of King Harald and Queen Sonja, stepped down from official royal duties in 2022 to allow her to pursue her business ventures more freely, and said she and Veret would refrain from using her title as princess in business deals. But the couple have been criticised by the royal palace and members of parliament for linking their business activities to Märtha Louise’s royal status.
She leaves the throne of the empire because of her love for a commoner!
Special pink drink
At a media event for a liquor company in June, the couple served a special pink wedding drink, complete with Martha Louise and Veret’s names on the back of the bottle and a pink monogram created especially for the occasion. But Norwegian health authorities ruled this week that the marketing of the drink was inappropriate.
The wedding, held Saturday in a large outdoor tent, was open only to media sponsors and was not televised, unlike the princess’s first wedding in 2002, which was held in the country’s largest church. Her first marriage ended in divorce in 2017.
Martha Louise caused controversy in 2007 when she claimed to have clairvoyant powers and set up a school to help people by teaching them how to talk to angels.
Verrett will become a member of Norway’s extended royal family, according to the Royal Palace, but not of the House of Commons. royalist The Norwegian statute, which includes only the king and the two next in line to the throne plus their spouses, so he would not become a prince.
Verrett, a businessman and self-described sixth-generation shaman (someone who believes they have spiritual or supernatural abilities), aims to help people find their true spiritual power. Martha Louise is also known for her interest in spirituality and knowledge of occult subjects.
Their relationship has sparked some controversy, including over their business practices, with the couple selling exclusive photo rights to the ceremony and celebrations to British celebrity magazine Hello for an undisclosed sum. A Netflix team is also said to have secured film rights, while local media have been largely excluded from the main events of the wedding celebrations.
G.G./Kh.S (AFP, DPA)
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