Festivities are underway for the wedding of Norwegian Princess Märtha Louise and her American fiancé, Durek Verrett, a self-proclaimed shaman. Hundreds of guests gathered in Alesund, western Norway, on Thursday for a “meet and greet” at a historic hotel. On Friday, guests are traveling by sea to the picturesque town of Geiranger, located on the shores of a UNESCO World Heritage fjord. The wedding program includes a “light lunch on the boat while witnessing the majestic mountains and waterfalls.” The couple will wed at a private ceremony on Saturday.
Attendees are expected to include members of the Swedish royal family, social media influencers, and TV personalities, such as U.S. reality star and model Cynthia Bailey. Norwegian media reports that guests have been asked to refrain from using mobile phones or cameras and not to post anything on social media during the celebrations.
Princess Märtha Louise, 52, and Verrett, 49, announced their engagement in 2022. The princess, a former equestrian and the eldest of King Harald of Norway’s two children, was previously married to the late writer and artist Ari Behn, with whom she had three daughters: Maud, Leah, and Emma. The couple divorced in 2017, and Behn, who had openly discussed his struggles with depression, died on Christmas Day in 2019.
Märtha Louise has long been a controversial figure in Norway due to her involvement in alternative treatments. In 2002, she relinquished her “Her Royal Highness” title to pursue her own business endeavors. In 2007, she declared herself clairvoyant and, until 2018, operated a school that claimed to teach students to “create miracles” and communicate with angels. In an interview with the BBC’s Katty Kay last year, the princess acknowledged the “turmoil” surrounding her decision to pursue a path different from that of a “traditional royal,” noting the criticism she faced for her spiritual beliefs in a country where such views are considered taboo.
Verrett, who describes himself as a sixth-generation shaman, “servant of god,” and “energy activator,” states on his website that he “demystifies spirituality” with his “no-nonsense teachings.” In an interview with Vanity Fair, he claimed to have risen from the dead and recalled that a relative had predicted during his childhood that he would one day marry the princess of Norway.
