Royal Princess Shocks Public After Leaving Royal Family for an American "Shaman" Fiance
There has been a great deal of controversy surrounding the relationship.
Some people are willing to give up everything for love – including a royal title. The most famous example was when King Edward III abdicated the throne so he could marry American divorceé Wallis Simpson, others included Princess Ubolratana in Thailand, Princess Sayako of Japan, and of course, Prince Harry, who opted to step aside as a working member of the Royal Family with his wife, Meghan Markle, after she reportedly became suicidal due to the surrounding circumstances. Another recent example? One princess has revealed she is leaving the royal life, so she can marry her American shaman fiance.
The world was shocked when Princess Martha Louise of Norway was first linked to self-proclaimed shaman Durek Verrett. After all, the American has been accused of being a "con man," conspiracy theorist and criticized for his controversial beliefs and some of the practices and products he is hawking.
In July, the couple became engaged. And on Tuesday, in a statement released by the Royal House of Norway, it was confirmed that Martha Louise will be distancing herself from the throne. "Princess Märtha Louise wishes to differentiate more clearly between her own activities and her relationship to the Royal House of Norway. The Princess has therefore decided, in consultation with His Majesty The King and other close family members, that she will not carry out official duties for the Royal House at the present time," the statement reads.
The release clearly outlined the couple's future in relation to the family, explaining that they "are seeking to distinguish more clearly between their activities and the Royal House of Norway," which refers to Martha Louise taking a more active role in her future husband's business. "This means, among other things, that they will not employ the title of Princess or refer to members of the Royal House in their social media channels, in media productions or in connection with other commercial activities (with the exception of @PrincessMarthaLouise on Instagram)," it says.
The Princess will be able to keep her title, per her father, the King. And, when she gets married, both she and her husband will be part of the Royal Family. "But in accordance with tradition he will not have a title or represent the Royal House of Norway," they added. "Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett will attend family-related gatherings, such as birthday celebrations, as well as certain major sporting events that the Royal Family traditionally attends together."
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In an accompanying video statement Martha Louise explained that she believed the shift "will lead to a calmer and more peaceful environment." Her fiance added: "I know that some of the things I have said and done have been seen as controversial in Norway — some have even argued that this has become a problem for the monarchy. This was never my intention." He later said he "has a right to autonomy, to determine what I believe in and to speak up about it."
