Norway’s Princess Martha Louise wed her long-term partner, American spiritual guru Durek Verrett, on Saturday in a ceremony attended by the Norwegian king and other royalty. The event, held in the picturesque town of Geiranger, marked the end of three days of celebrations honoring the couple. However, the wedding has been criticized for its commercialization.
The 52-year-old princess, who is fourth in line to the throne, and the 49-year-old Californian shaman, first announced their relationship in 2019. Martha Louise, the daughter of King Harald and Queen Sonja, stepped down from her official royal duties in 2022 to pursue her own business ventures. The couple had pledged not to use her royal title for commercial purposes.
Despite this, they have faced backlash for integrating commercial elements into the wedding celebrations. In June, the couple promoted a special pink gin created for the occasion, with the labels featuring their names and a custom monogram. Norwegian health authorities recently deemed the marketing of this product inappropriate.
