She says she speaks to the angels and is going to marry a self-proclaimed “shaman”: Norwegian princess Märtha Louise announced on Tuesday that she would give up her official duties to carry out her controversial activities with her fiancé. “I regret that the princess no longer represents the royal house. She is very good at it, ”said her father, King Harald V, in a rare televised address alongside his wife, Queen Sonja.
The eldest daughter of the Norwegian royal couple and fourth in the order of succession, the 51-year-old princess had announced shortly before, in a press release from the palace, that she was renouncing her official royal functions to better distinguish them from her personal activities and those of her cumbersome fiancé, the American Durek Verrett, a fashionable spiritual guide in Hollywood.
Durek Verrett is popular among stars less among Norwegians
“Particularly this implies that they will no longer use the title of princess and will not mention members of the royal house on their social networks, in media productions or in the context of other commercial activities,” explained the royal house. .
The king’s daughter and eldest sister of Crown Prince Haakon – when she was born, the rule was still that the younger son prevailed over the daughter – will also renounce all princely patronage. “In accordance with the king’s wishes”, Märtha Louise will however retain her title of princess, according to the palace. And her fiancé will join the royal family when they are married.
The princess’s relationship with a shaman popular with stars like Antonio Banderas or Gwyneth Paltrow goes badly in Norway, where many like comedian Dagfinn Nordbø call him a “charlatan”. Hairless face and shaved head, the African-American suggests in his book “Spirit hacking” that cancer is a choice, offers exercises to erase the vaginal “imprint” of women who have had multiple sexual partners, and sells for 222 dollars a medallion, the “Spirit Optimizer”, which would have helped him to overcome the Covid.
The king had approved the engagement of Märtha Louise
According to a poll published in September, 17% of Norwegians now have a lower opinion of the royal family, with most citing the princess and her fiancé as the explanation. “We agree on the fact of not agreeing”, summed up Harald V on Tuesday about his future son-in-law, whose engagement he had approved with his daughter, divorced in 2016.
With the end of Märtha Louise’s duties, “we think it will create more distance and we are happy about that. We have arrived at this amicable proposal with which we are all satisfied,” King said.
On Instagram, the princess in turn posted a video to defend her choice.
“I hope that this decision will contribute to more clarity on my roles, on the one hand as the daughter of the Head of State of Norway, His Majesty the King, and on the other hand as an entrepreneur and a private person” , did she say. If he assures that he understands that his positions can be disconcerting, Durek Verrett considers himself above all victim of racism – like actress Meghan Markle who had said she was rejected by the British royal family.
She calls for respect for her “personal” position
The princess herself has long been an eccentric in the Scandinavian kingdom, claiming to be able to communicate with angels, a gift she tries to share through courses and the publication of books. In 2002, she had already given up using the title of “royal highness” after choosing to work as a clairvoyant.
Her first husband, Ari Behn, with whom she had three daughters, was a colorful writer who was already out of place within the royal family. He committed suicide in 2019, three years after their divorce. He filed a complaint against Kevin Spacey in the wake of the scandal that affected the Oscar-winning actor.
In the press release from the palace, Märtha Louise claims to be “aware of the importance of knowledge based on research”. “Spirituality, intimacy with other people and animals, yoga and meditation” may be additional factors, as can “the warmth of a hand, an acupuncture needle, a crystal,” he argues. she, however, calling for respect for her “personal” position.
Norway: Princess Märtha Louise abandons royalty for her shaman fiancé in Hollywood