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Wedding of Norwegian princess and American shaman begins after years of 'turmoil'
Festivities have begun for the wedding of Norwegian Princess Mrtha Louise and her American partner, self-proclaimed shaman Durek Verrett.
Hundreds of guests arrived in the western Norwegian town of Alesund on Thursday for a meeting at a historic hotel.
On Friday, they set sail for the picturesque town of Geiranger, on the banks of a UNESCO World Heritage-listed fjord. The wedding programme states that guests will enjoy a “light lunch on the boat while admiring the majestic mountains and waterfalls”.
The couple will then marry at a private event on Saturday.
Members of the Swedish royal family are said to be in attendance alongside various social media influencers and television personalities, including American reality TV star and model Cynthia Bailey.
According to Norwegian media, guests were asked not to use mobile phones or cameras during the celebrations and not to post anything on social media.
Princess Marya Louise, 52, and Mr Verrett, 49, announced their engagement in 2022.
The princess, a former equestrian and the eldest of Norwegian King Harald's two children, was previously married to writer and artist Ari Behn, who died three years ago, with whom she had three daughters – Maud, Leah and Emma. The two divorced in 2017. Mr Behn, who had spoken of his depression, died on Christmas Day 2019.
In Norway, Ms. Louise has long attracted controversy because of her involvement in alternative healing. She lost her honorary title of Royal Highness in 2002 in order to be allowed to start her own business. In 2007, she announced that she was a clairvoyant, and until 2018, she ran a school that she said taught students how to create miracles and talk to angels.
Last year, Ms Louise told the BBC's Katty Kay that there had been a lot of unrest over her decision to take a different path from that of a traditional royal.
“I've received a lot of criticism over the years, especially because I'm spiritual and in Norway that's taboo,” she said.
Meanwhile, Mr. Verrett says on his website that he is a sixth-generation shaman, servant of God and energy activator who demystifies spirituality through his pragmatic teachings.
In an interview with Vanity Fair magazine, he claimed to have been resurrected and said that when he was a child, a relative predicted that he would one day marry the Princess of Norway.
Princess Mrtha Louise announced her relationship with Mr Verrett in an Instagram post in 2019. Perhaps hoping to preempt potential criticism, she wrote: “To those of you who feel the need to criticize: stop. It is not your place to choose for me or judge me. Shaman Durek is simply a man I enjoy spending time with and who fulfills me.”
However, many Norwegians have not yet fully accepted Mr Verrett. They think he has said very strange things and that there are many cultural differences, said Kristi Marie Skrede, royal correspondent for Norwegian broadcaster NRK. Many Norwegians are very critical of what Mr Verrett says and does in his role as a shaman.
Despite the couple's spiritual beliefs, this weekend's wedding ceremony will follow a more traditional canon, with parish priest Margit Lovise Holte officiating according to the Church of Norway's wedding liturgy.
When the engagement was announced, Norwegian public broadcaster NRK reported that Mr Verrett would move to Norway and join the royal family without holding a title. He and Mr Louise have now reportedly bought a house in Norway.
In 2022, the Norwegian palace announced that Ms tha Louise would “step back from her role as patron” as she and Mr Verrett sought to “more clearly distinguish their activities from the Royal House of Norway” and avoid misunderstandings about the Royal House.
He added that King Harald had decided that she would keep her title, but that the princess would not use it in her business activities.
At the time, King Harald told Norwegian reporters that Mr Verrett was “a great guy” and that the two of them “laughed a lot, even in this difficult time. I think he and we have gained a better understanding of what this is about, and we have agreed to disagree.”
However, over the summer, Ms Louise came under fire after her name and royal title appeared on the label of a commemorative wedding gin created to mark her marriage.
Ms Skrede said many Norwegians were tired of the behaviour, which some said showed the princess was disrespecting her father. The beloved King Harald, 88, ascended to the throne in 1991 and is one of Europe's longest-serving monarchs. In April, plans were announced to reduce his public engagements because of his age.
Locals are also upset that Norwegian media cannot cover the wedding, as the couple signed a deal with Hello! magazine for exclusive coverage. This means the public will not know anything about the event unless they buy the magazine, Ms Skrede said.
On Wednesday, it was also revealed that the couple had been working with Netflix for the past year on what the streaming giant called an in-depth and emotional documentary about their relationship.
“We are becoming more global and there is nothing more powerful than the love that drives us,” Verrett wrote on Instagram.
Princess Mrtha Louise is the eldest of King Harald's children and fourth in line to the throne. Her younger brother, Crown Prince Haakon, will succeed his father on the throne.
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