Photos: the controversial royal wedding of Durek Verrett, 'Shaman of Hollywood'

Princess Märtha Louise of Norway, 52, married Durek Verrett, 49, a self-proclaimed American Shaman in the picturesque Norwegian village of Geiranger, surrounded by Norwegian fjords.

Princess Märtha Louise wore a traditional white dress for the occasion and a tiara given to her by her grandfather, King Olav, while Durek wore a black suit with a gold belt.

The ceremony featured performances by Norwegian and American artists, uniting different cultures through music, including a performance by the indigenous Sámi people, AP reported.

The couple, criticized for their lifestyle and beliefs, have been at the center of media attention, particularly due to the exclusive sale of their photos to a British magazine and the video rights to Netflix.

According to the AP news agency, the couple celebrated their union under a large white tent, taking care of every detail to preserve their privacy. However, the exclusive rights to the photos and video were sold to international media.

Despite the controversy, the Norwegian royal family, including King Harald and Queen Sonia, attended the wedding, supporting the princess, according to AP.

The couple's eccentricities have affected the popularity of the royal family, El Mundo states. Durek Verrett, who describes himself as a "sixth-generation shaman," has been criticized for his beliefs and practices and Märtha has been accused of using her royal title toward commercial ends.

The Shaman has sold a medal to heal diseases and suggests in his books that cancer is a choice, AP and El Mundo state. He also advocates exercises to erase the "imprint" in the private parts of women who have slept with multiple partners.

Durek, who is three years younger than the princess, is the son of an Indo-Norwegian mother and an African-Haitian father, born in Sacramento (California). At the age of 14, he moved to New York where he grew up, and then he moved to Los Angeles.

In his own words on social media, Durek is "an innovator, a changemaker, a leader of female power, and a human rights activist." In an interview with The Times, he explains that he died from kidney failure at the age of 27 and manage to resurrect.

It is on this basis that his shamanism was born. Now based in Los Angeles, he has developed his career as an emotional coach, meditation teacher, author of books on shamanism, and seller of various products on the subject. He also gives conferences.

Photo: shamandurek / Instagram

It is not known exactly when he met the princess, but it was love at first sight between them, as they explained on the Tamron Hall Show.

Märtha Louise of Norway chose Instagram in 2019 to confirm her union with Durek Verrett. The princess published photos with her new partner and explained that she had met her 'soul mate'.

Photo: princessmarthalouise / Instagram

Although Princess Märtha Louise resigned from her official duties in 2022, she was caught using her title for commercial purposes. The princess launched a gin brand on the occasion of the wedding, using her noble title to do so.

Märtha Louise of Norway was determined to rebuild her life after her divorce from Danish-Norwegian writer Ari Behn, whom she had married in a conventional marriage in 2002.

But after 14 years of marriage, the Norwegian Royal House officially announced their intention to divorce. The couple had three children together: Maud (2003), Leah (2005), and Emma (2008). Tragically, Ari Behn would take his life in 2019.

When the Princess of Norway made public her relationship with shaman Durek Verrett, she was aware of the controversy it would trigger. Indeed, she said: "I do not choose my partner to please the public or the standards and boxes in which you lock me. I choose love. And that's it. So please respect my actions and my choice of partner."

Despite criticism and controversy, Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett live together happily, outside the official royal family.

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