Wedding celebrations have begun for Norwegian Princess Martha Louise and her American partner, self-styled shaman Durek Veret.
Hundreds of guests arrived in the town of Ålesund in western Norway for a “meet and greet” at a historic hotel.
On Friday, they will sail to the scenic town of Geiranger, located along the UNESCO World Heritage-listed fjord. Guests will “enjoy a light lunch on the boat while admiring the majestic mountains and waterfalls,” wedding plans say.
The couple will tie the knot in a private event on Saturday.
The Swedish royal family is said to be in attendance along with various social media influencers and TV personalities, including American reality star and model Cynthia Bailey.
According to Norwegian media reports, guests are asked not to use mobile phones or cameras during the celebrations and not to post anything on social media.
Princess Martha Louise, 52, and Mr Verrett, 49, announced their engagement in 2022.
The princess, a former equestrian and the eldest of two children of King Harald of Norway, was married to the late writer and artist Ari Behn, with whom she had three daughters: Maud, Leah and Emma. The two divorced in 2017. Died on Christmas Day 2019.
Märtha Louise has caused controversy in Norway for decades because of her involvement in alternative therapies. In 2002, she lost the title “Your Highness” and was able to start her own business. In 2007, she announced she was clairvoyant and until 2018 ran a school, which she said taught students to “work miracles” and talk to angels.
last year, Martha Louise told the BBC’s Katty Kay Her decision to take a different path from the “traditional royal family” caused so much “confusion.”
“Over the years, there has been a lot of criticism, especially of my spiritual pursuits – which is taboo in Norway,” she said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Verrett says on his website that he is a sixth-generation shaman, “a servant of God and an energy activator” who “unveils the mysteries of spirituality” through his “serious teachings.”
In an interview with Vanity Fair, he claimed to have risen from the dead and said that when he was a child, a relative predicted that he would one day marry a Norwegian princess.
Princess Martha-Louise announced her relationship with Mr. Verrett in a 2019 post on Instagram. : Please hold still. It’s not up to you.
However, many Norwegians have yet to fully accept Mr Verrett. “They thought he said something very strange and there were a lot of cultural differences,” said Kristi Marie Skrede, royal correspondent for Norway’s NRK television. “Many people here have been critical of Mr. Verrett’s statements and actions as a shaman.”
Despite the couple’s different spiritual beliefs, this weekend’s wedding will follow more traditional norms and be officiated by parish priest Margit Lovise-Holt according to the wedding rites of the Church of Norway.
When the engagement was first announced, Norwegian state broadcaster NRK reported that Mr Verrett would move to Norway and join the royal family without a title. According to reports, he and Martha Louise have now bought a house in Norway.
2022, Norwegian royal family announces Martha Louise will ‘give up her patronage role’ Because she and Mr Verrett sought to “clearly distinguish their activities from the Norwegian royal family” and “prevent misunderstandings about the royal family”.
King Harald has decided to keep her title, but the princess will not use it for commercial activities, the statement added.
At the time, King Harald told Norwegian journalists that Mr Verrett was “a great man” and that the two of them “had a great laugh even in this difficult moment. I think both us and him had a sense of what it was.” More understanding” Regarding, we agree to disagree. “
However, this summer Märtha Louise faced criticism after her name and royal title appeared on the label of a commemorative wedding schnapps made to mark her wedding.
Ms Skreider said many Norwegians were “fed up with this behavior” and some believed it showed the princess “disrespected” her father. One of the longest reigning monarchs.
Locals were also unhappy that Norwegian media were excluded from coverage of the wedding because the couple had signed a deal with Hello! Magazine exclusive. “That means the public won’t know or see anything about it unless they buy the magazine,” Ms. Scrider said.
On Wednesday, it was revealed that the couple have been working with Netflix for a year on what the streaming giant is calling an “in-depth and touching documentary” about their relationship.
“We are becoming more global and there is nothing more powerful than the love that powers us,” Mr. Verrett wrote on Instagram.
Princess Martha Louise is the eldest son of King Harald and fourth in line to the throne. Her younger brother, Crown Prince Haakon, will succeed his father on the throne.
