Princess Märtha Louise weds Durek Verrett
Nuptials take place in scenic Geiranger; controversy from beginning to end
Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB
Princess Märtha Louise of Norway wed Durek Verrett, a Los Angeles shaman, on Aug. 31 in Geiranger.
Lori Ann Reinhall
Editor-in-chief
The Norwegian American
On Aug. 31, Princess Märtha Louise of Norway, fourth in line to the throne, exchanged wedding vows with Durek Verrett, in a ceremony in Geiranger, Norway.
The couple’s courtship, engagement, and wedding have been surrounded by controversy from beginning to end. Verrett, a U.S. citizen, is a businessman, alternative therapist, self-professed shaman, and author. His unconventional beliefs include claims of not being fully human and possessing the ability to reverse aging by “turning atoms.” His book Spirit Hacking has been rejected by major Norwegian publishers. Ole Henrik Krat Bjørkholt, Norway’s secretary of health, has called Verrett an “unscrupulous and dangerous charlatan,” while Trygve Hegnar, editor-in-chief of the financial magazine Finansavisen, has said that Verrett “should be in jail.”
The shaman, in fact, has a criminal record. He was convicted in California of felony arson and trespassing and sentenced to five years’ imprisonment. He served one year and was released on parole. Later, he was charged with trespassing and theft of services, and subsequently, he spent additional time in jail. A former fiancé, Hank Greenberg, accused Verrett of domestic abuse in Los Angeles, where they lived.
Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB
Princess Mätha Louise and Durek Verrett prepare to go on board the to travel to Geiranger for their wedding,
Märtha Louise, who calls Verrett her “twin flame,” has also been the subject of controversy for many years. She describes herself as a clairvoyant, with the ability to communicate with both animals and the dead. She led her own “angel school” in Oslo from 2007 to 2018 to teach skills of clairvoyancy and communication with the dead. Already in 2002, the princess began paying taxes and let go of her title “Royal Highness” to pursue her entrepreneurial endeavors.
The couple, who claims to have first met in a previous life in ancient Egypt, have also engaged in commercial ventures in Norway, which have put them under fire. In 2022, it was agreed that Märtha Louise would no longer represent the Norwegian royal house.
Nonetheless, the two exchanged their vows a stone’s throw away from the historic Hotel Union in Geiranger, surrounded by glorious scenery. Among the 350 guests were celebrities and foreign royals. It was the culmination of a three-day celebration that began with a meet-and-greet party in Ålesund, with the theme “sexy and cool.”
Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB
Guests raised their glasses to the bridal couple as they traveled by boat to the wedding in Geiranger.
The king and queen and other members of the royal family attended, including Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, and their children, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus. Märtha Louise’s three children from her first marriage with the late Ari Behn, Maud Angelica, Leah Isadora, and Emma Tallulah Behn, were also present.
Notably, Marius Borg Høiby, Mette-Marit’s son from an earlier relationship and a member of the royal family, was absent. Høiby has been at the center of an ongoing scandal after he was arrested for domestic violence with his girlfriend.
Photo: Cornelius Poppe / NTB
The Norwegian press was able to photograph the bridal couple as they walked to the Hotel Union in Geiranger.
Because the bridal couple viewed their wedding as a private event, exclusive press rights were sold to the British royalist magazine Hello! Filming rights were then sold to Netflix to create a documentary. These commercial agreements created an uproar with the Norwegian press, which normally covers events where the royal family is present. As a result, the Norwegian royal family ordered that they could not be part of any photos or footage shot by Hello! or Netflix.
Over the past few years, the newlyweds have, in their own words, “weathered many storms.” They have often seen themselves as victims of racism. The majority of Norwegians would now like to see Märtha Louise stripped of her royal title, and a new poll shows that a third of Norwegians see the royal family more negatively. But for the couple, love prevails. In a recent interview with Hello!, they said that it all has only made them stronger.
Photo: Paul Kleiven / NTB
Scenic Geiranger was setting for the wedding of Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett on Aug. 31.
See also “Wedding blends tradition with diversity,” NTB / The Norwegian American, Sept. 31, 2024.
This article originally appeared in the September 2024 issue of The Norwegian American.
