Mountains of criticism, (false) accusations and (partially) having to give up a title: the relationship between the Norwegian princess Märtha Louise and the American shaman Durek Verrett bears little resemblance to a fairy tale. The princess even announced today that she will step down from all her royal duties. Why does their love affair attract so much opposition from the press and the public?
Waar de meeste koninklijke relaties zich in het geheim ontwikkelen en vervolgens op een publiekelijk moment worden bekendgemaakt, ging dat bij de vijftigjarige Märtha Louise heel anders.
In 2019 maakt de prinses, de oudste dochter van koning Harald V en koningin Sonja van Noorwegen, via Instagram bekend een nieuwe vriend te hebben.
Ze is op dat moment drie jaar gescheiden van de eind 2019 overleden schrijver Ari Behn. “Als je je soulmate ontmoet, dan weet je het. Ik heb het geluk de mijne te hebben gevonden”, schrijft de Noorse bij een foto met Verrett, die overigens ook Noorse roots heeft. “Ik ben zo blij en gezegend dat ik hem mijn vriend mag noemen.”
Geen verrassing dat haar vriend actief is op het spirituele vlak
Dat is niet helemaal de manier waarop iemand van het koningshuis zoiets doorgaans aanpakt, maar de reputatie van Märtha Louise is op dat moment al wat omstreden. Zo beweert de prinses telepathische krachten te hebben en te kunnen praten met dieren.
Het komt dus niet echt als een verrassing dat de Noorse prinses verliefd is geworden op iemand die ook actief is op het spirituele vlak. Verrett is naar eigen zeggen al sinds zijn twaalfde werkzaam als sjamaan: iemand die contact maakt met de geestenwereld om mensen te kunnen genezen en iets te kunnen voorspellen.
De twee hebben elkaar leren kennen bij een healing van de prinses bij Verrett. “Ik keek in zijn ogen en zei: ‘Ik ken jou al'”, vertelt ze in een Amerikaanse talkshow. “En hij antwoordde: ‘Het stond al voor onze geboorte in de sterren dat we elkaar ooit zouden ontmoeten.'”
De sjamaan begeeft zich dan al een poos in de wereld van celebrity’s. Hij is goed bevriend met acteurs als Chris Pine en Selma Blair en is zelfs de spiritueel adviseur van Gwyneth Paltrow. Hij schrijft ook artikelen voor haar lifestyleplatform Goop.
Märtha Louise is not a ‘private princess’
While this all sounds loving and romantic, the public doesn’t have much positive to say about their relationship. Verrett works in a rather controversial way. For example, people who allow themselves to be treated by the shaman must give him written permission to touch their genitals.
His lifestyle – full of luxurious parties and other superficial and materialistic affairs – also raises quite a few eyebrows given his existence as a shaman: this people cannot reconcile. And the now-deleted message in which Verrett writes that he is “a reptile from another planet” is certainly causing consternation.
Soon after the start of their relationship, the couple decide to work together. They go under the heading The Princess and the Shaman on a trip together. But even with this they meet resistance. The public does not think it is possible for Märtha Louise to use her royal title for commercial purposes.
In consultation with her family, she decides that she will only use the title of princess when performing royal and official duties. She describes it herself as a “good solution”. That arrangement expires now that she has resigned from all her royal duties. She can keep her title, although she is unlikely to use it in practice now. She doesn’t need to change her Instagram username PrincessMarthaLouise
By the way, Märtha Louise is not next in line to the throne, because in Norway the eldest son (in this case Hakon) and not the eldest daughter is the first in the line of succession to the throne.
Shaman waits a bit with his proposal
When her ex-husband Behn commits suicide at the end of 2019, many believe that it was Märtha Louise’s new relationship that was the cause. “They said that if it wasn’t for Durek, it wouldn’t have happened,” she says in an interview with Vanity Fair.
The shaman actually wants to propose to his beloved – even the king and his wife have already been asked for permission – but under the circumstances he decides not to. He makes no secret of the fact that Verrett plans to marry the princess. The ring has already been designed, he says.
Verrett is seriously ill
The couple is considering moving to the United States. After all, the two already regularly spend time together in Verrett’s homeland. “They are much more open to this,” explains Märtha Louise. “In Norway, they don’t think it’s possible for you to have a relationship with a shaman.” Nevertheless, the princess will continue to live in Europe for the time being, also because she has three children who go to school here.
On Tuesday, June 7, 2022, the shaman announces that the engagement is official. “She said yes,” he writes on Instagram. But besides all the festivities surrounding their upcoming wedding, they are also going through a difficult time. Verrett is seriously ill: he has problems with his kidneys and has to go to the hospital for dialysis three to five times a week. A planned transplant fell through at the end of May.
Relatives have in any case given the princess and Verrett their blessing. The Norwegian royal family’s website contains congratulations from her parents, King Harald and Queen Sonja. Crown Prince Haakon and his wife Mette-Marit also wish the couple good luck. “Durek is the man who makes my heart beat faster, who sees me and my potential. He makes me laugh and I can be vulnerable with him. I’m so happy that I can continue to grow with this wonderful man.” writes the princess.