Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett to Wed
Märtha Louise of Norway and Durek Verrett will finally get married. After two years of engagement and several unconfirmed rumors, the princess has put an end to all doubts about her future plans, announcing the news on Instagram. “Durek Verrett and I are pleased to announce that our wedding will take place at the historic Hotell Union in Geiranger on August 31, 2024,” the future bride wrote, sharing a photo with her future husband taken by Sara Abraham.
The Meaning of Geiranger
The princess then explained the choice of the location, Geiranger, famous for its spectacular fjord. “We are incredibly happy to be able to celebrate our love in the wonderful surroundings of Geiranger. For us it means a lot to be able to gather our loved ones in a place so rich in history and nature. Geiranger is the perfect place to embrace our love.” The same photo and message were also shared by Verrett, who described the future bride as “my beloved princess Märtha Louise”.
The Royal Palace’s Response
An official statement from the Royal Palace soon followed: “The Queen and I are pleased that they have announced their wedding plans today,” reads a note signed by King Harald V, father of Märtha Louise. Märtha Louise of Norway and Durek Verrett have been officially engaged for two years, after about one year of dating. For him, she gave up having an active role within the royal family. A choice that would have been “suggested” by her father and younger brother Haakon, heir to the throne, due to Verrett’s activities, who calls himself a “shaman” and who has also involved his future wife in his business. During the Covid-19 pandemic, Verrett was selling amulets with alleged salvation powers, while before in his book Spirit Hacking he had bluntly defined cancer as “a choice”. In Oslo they could not just stand by, especially considering the fact that the popularity of the monarchy was disastrously plummeting because of this bond. In the end, Märtha Louise decided to follow her heart, deciding to take a step back and ensuring that she would never refer to her noble origins for commercial purposes. “The princess is not currently representing the Royal House,” it was announced from the Palace in the autumn of 2022, although, at the request of King Harald, Märtha Louise did not lose her title of princess. Royal Highness, however, she had not been since 2002, when she began to work as a clairvoyant (she is also known for claiming to speak to angels, ed.). For Märtha Louise, this will be her second marriage after the wedding with the writer Ari Beth, who committed suicide in 2019 at the age of 47. From their union, which foundered in 2016, three daughters were born: Maud Angelica, 20 years old, Leah Isadora, 18, and Emma Tallulah, 14.
