Posted on June 8, 2022

Princess Märtha Louise of Norway, 50, Announces She Is Engaged to Her American Spiritual Guru Boyfriend Shaman Durek

Jessica Green, Daily Mail, June 7, 2022

Princess Märtha Louise, the daughter of Norway’s King Harald, is engaged to her American boyfriend Durek Verrett, the palace said Tuesday.

The 50-year-old princess, who is fourth in line to the Norwegian throne, has been together with Durek, 47, a Los Angeles-based ‘spiritual guide and gifted healer’ whose celebrity following includes Gwyneth Paltrow, Nina Dobrev and James Van Der Beek, since 2019.

In a statement issued by the royal household, Harald and his wife Queen Sonja announced the engagement and said they ‘wish them all the best for the future.’

Märtha Louise shared her official engagement photo on her Instagram account – in which she showcased a dazzling emerald ring.

The princess was previously married to Ari Behn, who she wed in 2002 and had three children together Maud Angelica, 18, Leah Isadora, 16, and Emma Tallulah, 13. They split in 2016, and Ari took his own life on Christmas Day in 2019.

Dressed in a vibrant patterned sleeveless dress, Märtha Louise could be seen standing next to her partner, who wore a smart suit with lace cut-out detailing.

According to Norwegian media, the princess, whose older brother, Crown Prince Haakon, is the heir to the throne, plans to relocate to California with her girls.

Writing on Instagram, Märtha Louise said: ‘I am so happy to announce that I am engaged to Shaman Durek.

‘The one who makes my heart skip, the one who sees me and acknowledges me from my highest potential, who makes me laugh and who I can be vulnerable with.

‘Love transcends and makes us grow. And I am so happy to continue to grow with this beautiful man.

‘Thank you to all my friends and family who have stood steadfast by our side and special thanks to @hegecfossum and @stargatemusic for your generosity and making our day truly special.’

Alongside her royal duties, the princess has written books in which she claimed having contacts with angels.

In March, the princess shared the first snap of her three children alongside her partner Shaman Durek.

In the photograph, which the mother-of-three shared to her Instagram page to mark International Woman’s Day, Durek can be seen posing with the royal and her three children.

The group appeared to be visiting Durek’s hometown of LA, where Märtha Louise has spoken of moving her family to in recent years.

The Shaman was quick to share a gushing comment on the post, writing: ‘I love our family. You my dear are a force in life. The way you love your children and how you nurture their minds and heart to grow.’

Sharing the snap of the five-some together, the mother-of-three wrote: ‘To all the women and MEN supporting women’s brilliance, resilience, bravery, vulnerability, truth, leadership and passions; Happy International Women’s Day.

‘In truth every day is a woman’s day. We need to fight for being heard, for being acknowledged, for not being taken advantage of, for equal pay every single day.

‘So every day is an International Women’s Day where we build and grow into equality so that the next generation might not meet the same walls we did. #happywomensday.’

Meanwhile Durek was quick to leave a gushing comment, saying he loved ‘the way [Märtha Louise] loved him.’

He added: ‘You are a spectacular women a true inspiration to many. Happy Womens Day darling. May all women be seen heard and respected globally.’

Earlier this year, Durek revealed he ‘asked King Harald’ of Norway for Princess Märtha Louise’s hand in marriage – but had yet to propose just then because they’re in ‘no rush’ to get married.

In an interview in Billed Bladet he said he ‘does things in a respectful way’, adding: ‘I’m very old-fashioned in the way I do things. Therefore, I sat down with King Harald and Queen Sonja and asked for their daughter’s hand in marriage. If they had said no, I would not have gone ahead with it.’

Meanwhile he revealed how he plans to propose in an ‘old-fashioned’ way, adding: ‘For it will take me far more time to be ready to create a marriage. I do not want to rush a wedding.

‘It is a very sacred ceremony for me and the same goes for the moment when I propose. It must be perfect.’

Last year, Märtha Louise revealed she was moving to California to be closer to her boyfriend. However, she said they are still living apart for now.

‘We built our love on the dissident, on the friendship,’ she said.

Märtha Louise told the Norwegian newspaper VG in April last year that she was planning on bringing her children with her to the US.

‘Right now there is COVID and it is difficult to plan, but we plan to move with time,’ she said at the time.

‘The children will, of course, join me. We will keep the home in Lommedalen anyway. We must have a home in Norway. We’ll still be here a lot. We can not leave beautiful Norway completely,’ she said.

In a candid interview with Vanity Fair last year, Märtha Louise revealed her turmoil following the suicide of her ex-husband Ari Behn and revealed her upset that she and her boyfriend Shaman Durek Verrett were blamed for his death.

Märtha Louise and Ari Behn married in 2002 and have three children together Maud, Leah and Emma.

On Christmas Day 2019, Ari, a well-known writer, died by suicide aged 47.

Discussing the traumatic day, Märtha Louise revealed they returned home from the Christmas morning church service to the news.

‘They were saying that it was my fault and Durek’s fault – that if it hadn’t been for Durek, this wouldn’t have happened. I was so lucky to have the support of Durek and my family and my friends all around us, but it’s a void.

‘Suddenly I was a single parent, which is a very different horse, and of course the grief, the anger, the self-pity, the sadness over never seeing him again… it’s devastating.’

Märtha, who added that she ‘never felt like a royal’, also revealed she’s discovered how racist Norwegian people can be since coupling up with Derek, who is of Norweigan, Indian and Haitian descent.

Original Article