Princess Märtha Louise of Norway tied the knot with the self-proclaimed shaman, Durek Verrett on August 31. The couple's wedding has raised eyebrows in Norway as Durek claims to have "risen from the dead" with questions being raised about his teachings. Louise and her American partner got married during a private ceremony in Geiranger, a UNESCO World Heritage Site known for its stunning fjords.
The festivities initially kicked off with a "meet and greet" at a historic hotel in Alesund, where hundreds of guests, including members of the Swedish royal family and American TV personalities, were invited and had gathered to celebrate the union. The wedding itinerary included a scenic boat trip along the fjord to Geiranger, where the couple exchanged vows.
Martha Louise, 52, is the eldest child of King Harald V of Norway and was once a competitive equestrian. Meanwhile, 49-year-old Verrett is known to be a Hollywood spiritual guru.
Is Durek living his second life?
In the year 2020, Durek, in an interview with Vanity Fair shared he had died at the age of 28. He suffered seizures, and organ failure, and flatlined for four minutes. During this intense moment, he claimed to have felt like flaming knives were stabbing him and heard his grandmother's spirit telling him to let go.
However, his mind took him back to his "mother's womb", where he relived every moment of his life and re-met every person he had ever known. After being resuscitated, Durek spent two of his months in a coma and eight years on dialysis, until his sister donated a kidney to him in 2012. He believes his recovery required him to think with his expansive soul rather than his limiting brain.
Verret's spiritual practices and claims, including his assertion that he rose from the dead, have raised eyebrows in Norway, a country known for its extreme conservative and royal traditions.
Durek is an African-American advisor who counts celebrities like Gwyneth Paltrow and Antonio Banderas among his followers. He has suggested that cancer is a choice, advocated exercises to remove "imprints" from women's bodies left by previous sexual partners, and sold $222 medallions on his website, claiming they helped him overcome COVID-19.
Why is the wedding news attracting criticism?
These beliefs have led to him being labelled as a "charlatan, a quack" by Norwegian columnist Dagfinn Nordbo. Despite the controversy, Princess Louise, who is fourth in line to the Norwegian throne, has stood by her partner nevertheless.
Louise introduced Verrett to the world proudly via an Instagram post in 2019. In the post, she defended her choice, urging critics to refrain from judgment and stressing that Verrett was simply "a man I love spending my time with." The princess is believed to be a divorced mother of three daughters and has long been involved in alternative therapies and claims to be a clairvoyant, having the ability to speak with angels. She has profited from these beliefs through books and courses, which has also drawn questionable criticism.
Akthough, the couple had announced their engagement in June 2022. In November 2022, Princess Louise relinquished her royal duties to pursue a career in holistic healing and spirituality with Verrett. While she retained her title, she agreed not to use it for commercial purposes. The princess was previously married to writer Ari Behn, who died by suicide in 2019, three years after their divorce.
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