In late July, Durek Verrett made headlines in Norway for his Instagram video in which he shared that when he was taken to the hospital with Covid-19, he declined all medical treatment because he had a "spirit optimizer" medallion which protected him against illness. He also noted that the medallion was for sale on his website (price: $222 USD).
https://www.vg.no/rampelys/i/ALjVvj...mot-coronasykdom-selger-den-paa-egen-nettside
A state secretary reacted to the video on his own social media account, where he called Mr. Verrett an "unscrupulous and dangerous charlatan".
On August 30, during a meeting with the press on their county visit to Møre and Romsdal, the King and Queen were asked for comment. It is the first time they have commented on the controversies involving their soon to be son-in-law.
https://www.nrk.no/norge/kongeparet-kommenterer-durek-kritikken-for-forste-gang-1.16084909
A rough translation of their comments follows. Corrections are very welcome. The translation of the first two comments from the King is taken from Oskar Aanmoen's translation on Royal Central (with thanks to hereditarytitles).
King Harald: "Now I am so lucky, or unlucky, that I have recently had the experience of being sick. And in this country we have an excellent health system, I can only say that it is very good to have such a health system as we have in Norway. And even Durek Verrett has benefited from our health system also."
Queen Sonja: "And praises it."
The King and Queen were also asked about Mr. Verrett's usage of royal titles and concepts in his and Princess Märtha Louise's commercial activities (despite the couple having earlier been told not to do so by the King).
King Harald: "I do not think it has fully sunk in yet what we mean, but we are in a process and this will eventually work itself out. We get to know each other better and better, and we will talk to him, as we do in a family. So, it is going to work out. But I don’t promise that it will be resolved tomorrow."
Reporter: "Is it a challenge for the royal house?"
King Harald: "No, it really isn't a challenge for the royal house at all."
Queen Sonja: "There's a big difference between being in America and being in Norway, I believe."
King Harald: "It's a culture clash we're seeing now."
They were also asked about their experience of Durek Verrett's reception by the Norwegian people (I assume this was referring to Mr. Verrett's characterization of Norwegians as racist).
King Harald: "I'm not Durek, so I don't know how he experienced it. But there's no doubt that in the crevices of Norway there's a segment of people who engage in that mockery. So he saw that, and that also goes for some who are not ethnically Norwegian here in this country."
This is EXACTLY the sort of thing he needs to be avoiding from this point on. It is unseemly for the Norwegian king's future son-in-law to go crowing on social media in this manner.
I am happy for him how much he cherishes himself... I hope Pcss Märtha Louise is not blind and that this is true, genuine love!
