Princess Märtha Louise & Durek Verrett: News & Information

[sophie25]

She seems so in thrall to him that I think he could persuade her to do anything. I truly hope he won't start to turn his attentions to her daughters further down the line. I wouldn't be surprised if the King and Queen also worry about that.

[Denville]

the Impression I've had is that she was always silly, and hte RF had to bench her because they had to ensure that she didnt use her royal status ot make money....and now she's maddeningly stupid and trying to get on a bandwagon about racism...
I dont know much about Norway but I'm sure the locals have more to worry about than her walking around on Durek's arm. Im sure that the Norwegians just regard her as a former royal who used to work for the firm and now doesn't and dont really care much what she does.

[acdc1]

Honestly my biggest concern is for her daughters. She is the only parent they have left now, and they’re still young enough to be somewhat impressionable. My hope is that the Shaman isn’t trying to exert his influence on them too- he’s obviously enraptured their mother.

[Princess_Eleanor]

Originally Posted by acdc1

Honestly my biggest concern is for her daughters. She is the only parent they have left now, and they’re still young enough to be somewhat impressionable. My hope is that the Shaman isn’t trying to exert his influence on them too- he’s obviously enraptured their mother.

Maud seems a lot more mature than her mother to be honest, and she's almost 18, so I rather think the shaman would not have too much of a chance there. Though it can also take a toll on a teenager to have to be too responsible and mature too early because the parent isn't.
The other two are younger and will still keep living with Märtha and the shaman for several years, I imagine. I also hope that he won't manage to influence them and that all of this isn't too hard on them. They are already having a difficult time, having lost their father. This is a tricky situation, I really wish ML would pull herself together - for her daughters if nothing else.

[Skippy]

Originally Posted by Princess_Eleanor

Maud seems a lot more mature than her mother to be honest, and she's almost 18, so I rather think the shaman would not have too much of a chance there. Though it can also take a toll on a teenager to have to be too responsible and mature too early because the parent isn't.
The other two are younger and will still keep living with Märtha and the shaman for several years, I imagine. I also hope that he won't manage to influence them and that all of this isn't too hard on them. They are already having a difficult time, having lost their father. This is a tricky situation, I really wish ML would pull herself together - for her daughters if nothing else.

I think that she believes that she is doing just that....
I don't think she sees anything wrong with what she is doing.

[Somebody]

Originally Posted by Lady Daly

While the Vanity Fair article provided a continuation of fabricated and cringeworthy details into the lovebird's saga, Märtha Louise's Instagram not only informs us the article was done over a years time period and that she is a different person now.

Märtha Louise: "The main and first interview was done pre COVID-19, pre physical distancing, pre our loooong 6 months apart, pre my anti-racism awakening(I am always learning and continuing to grow into that role); and the world was a totally different place. And so were we. Some times it takes these moments to acknowledge the growth and steps taken. We have evolved. There are things I say in this article that I would never say today. Things that make me cringe from the perspective I see the world anno November 2020."

I wonder what the things are that ML said that she doesn't stand by any more. Probably the one on her mother's reaction to her new boyfriend? What else has changed? The article seems to already address several things about 'how the world has changed'.

N.B. I guess the article is rather popular as it has been linked or extensively quoted at least 4 times by now

[Prinsara]

It must be very convenient to always be evolving so fast that you can disclaim whatever you proclaimed months ago, ML. Is that an enlightenment trick from the boyfriend?

If you're going to be embarrassed about what you said, perhaps you should stop saying things. Just a thought.

[Heavs]

Originally Posted by Somebody

I wonder what the things are that ML said that she doesn't stand by any more. Probably the one on her mother's reaction to her new boyfriend? What else has changed? The article seems to already address several things about 'how the world has changed'.

N.B. I guess the article is rather popular as it has been linked or extensively quoted at least 4 times by now

I don't know what she's referring to because she says the article was before her "anti racism awakening" but it goes into detail about Martha's feelings about racism and Norway (although I guess it's theoretically good she's "continuing to grow") and it seems to have been conducted by phone during the pandemic as late as September and they met in person post Ari's suicide and their holidays together after that in February-March because Durek lets us know he was going to propose there before Ari's death.

I think she may have got some erm.. push back from various places and she's trying to brush it away with "before the world changed" because that sounds like a great excuse for saying something that comes across especially silly, even though it was a couple of months ago in reality.

This just sounds bizarre:

“Being at Durek’s house with his family is a bit like going into the world of Harry Potter,” she says. “There’s a wand coming out and they’re doing spells on each other. Everyone is laughing hysterically and it’s so much fun for me, because I’d put a lid on all of the things I thought as a child because everyone had told me it wasn’t possible, and after a while, I believed them. Suddenly, I’m with a man I love and with his family, who know that magic exists.”

Really? I know people who practice witchcraft and that's not at all what it's like. She's like a kid there. I also notice that he claims to have studied every spiritual practice everywhere from Shamanism with the Lakota, to Haiti to Nigeria to Kabbalah in Israel to Christianity, to Christian Mysticism, to Sufism in Turkey etc. Is there no end to his knowledge and all he does with it is charge fortunes to "energy heal" rich people?

Also ML had an "angel school" for a while. Whilst she may have raised eyebrows with her esoteric interests she wasn't prevented from meeting like minded people from all over the world before and Ari most definitely wasn't a conformist.

[Prinsara]

She is literally a beautiful princess with a gorgeous life, with not only an enormous capability to do good in the world but basically the choice to do whatever the hell she wanted, and she says she couldn't believe magic is real before this guy?

(Sigh...)

[polyesco]

Princess Martha Louise reveals critics blamed her for ex-husband's suicide, says she's discovered how 'racist' Norwegian people can be and admits she's 'depressed' at being separated from her bisexual US shaman boyfriend

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/a...s-suicide.html

[Princess_Eleanor]

If it is indeed the comment about her mother she regrets (not unlikely, in my opinion), the least she could do is apologize publicly.

Märtha would be better off writing fantasy novels than participating in "spells and wand magic" with the shaman & his family, and believing them to be magical like the characters of Harry Potter. Just saying

I understand that criticism can be hard but she doesn't need to present her personal life on Instagram and soon on some sort of reality TV show, or whatever it is she is doing, if she does not wish for strangers to comment on her life as much. Yes, she is a Princess but she has not been doing any royal engagements for a while now and if she and the shaman would not constantly keep providing the media and people on social media with personal information, there would not be as many comments on her life either.

The Vanity Fair interview is indeed rather extreme, she is presenting her parents, who welcomed a single mother with a controversial past & an even more controversial writer with open arms, as intolerant and the whole country of Norway as racist.

Her parents may take this behavior from her, but will the country of Norway? I do not live in Norway, though I have been there. I am sure that there is racism in Norway, as there is in all of Europe - more in some places, less in others, but to say that she and the shaman could not walk down the street there in peace as a mixed-race couple, seems grossly exaggerated.
She is painting Norwegians with pretty broad strokes here. The criticism of the shaman, his practices and assertions such as that people cause their own cancer? All racism - well, that's convenient.

[Muhler]

Yeah, there is a lot of pointing away in ML's more recent statements.

People criticize her = they are narrow minded, petty and intolerant.
People criticize Durek = they are racists. Period. End of discussion.
Because surely she and Durek are without fault.

She never address the reasons why people criticize Durek. She never tries to clarify Durek's often downright bizarre statements and claims. No wonder!

It's said that an attack is the best form of defense. But only if you have something substantial to back you up. If you don't you are left standing in the open - and that's exactly what team Durek & ML are.
Hence why they are trying to launch a charm offensive. Favorable interviews, cute pics, sugary declarations of love, Durek fawning ML's children - culminating in the, I fear, big romantic wedding.
That PR offensive is doomed to fail in Norway certainly.

And as for ML's oldest daughter Maud. Yes, she appears very mature - because she has to!
When there are no adult parents around, the oldest child typically assume the role of a substitute parent. I think that's what Maud has.

[Prinsara]

It's not just Maud. Leah, from her one Instagram statement, seems quite capable and reflective as well. Hopefully the three of them can (continue to) support each other (with the rest of their family) through whatever their mom seems determined to do. (Also if it doesn't work out.)

[Somebody]

Originally Posted by polyesco

Princess Martha Louise reveals critics blamed her for ex-husband's suicide, says she's discovered how 'racist' Norwegian people can be and admits she's 'depressed' at being separated from her bisexual US shaman boyfriend

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/a...s-suicide.html

For those who don't want to click on DM: not needed at all. The link to the interview itself has been posted multiple times. This is just DM's rehash.

[Osipi]

Originally Posted by Heavs

Really? I know people who practice witchcraft and that's not at all what it's like. She's like a kid there. I also notice that he claims to have studied every spiritual practice everywhere from Shamanism with the Lakota, to Haiti to Nigeria to Kabbalah in Israel to Christianity, to Christian Mysticism, to Sufism in Turkey etc. Is there no end to his knowledge and all he does with it is charge fortunes to "energy heal" rich people?

You're correct in all this. For someone that practices active rituals (aka "magic"), the use of bells, candles and wands is really no different than a Christian priest with a chalice, incense, and bells or a shaman taking a psychedelic trip to access other realms They're tools used to focus on certain elements to visibly and physically aid in the intent of what is going on at the moment. The wands, tarot cards, bells, runes actually do not hold any "special" powers themselves. They're aids to attune the spirit. A "spell" could actually be defined as a "prayer". Its focused intent and purpose. Kind of boils down to the way of thinking that if you think positive things, positive things happen.

Intent is what is found in *all* the practices you listed above too. It's one thing that gives a common factor to all of them. Its physical human beings finding their own paths to their spiritual nature that fits them best. It's a personal journey and buying into someone else's "way" totally lacks the outcome that the seeker is looking for. Its like putting a band aid on a cut that really needs stitches and the person with the cut doesn't have the intelligence enough to seek out emergency care when needed.

Long story short, you don't "sell" a personal journey to spiritual experiences and "healing". That can only come from within. One thing I do have to clarify here is that with the example of the Christian priest, what he is actually doing is leading a congregation in focused intent (prayer) together.

[sophie25]

It really wasn't very nice if her to say there's a lot of racism in Norway, she has no proof of this. There are many reasons why people may not like her boyfriend, it's a cheap call to put it down to racism.

[caethi]

I learned all I need to know about him when he said, "I just feel really proud of my woman."

[Tatiana Maria]

Originally Posted by Prinsara

OT, but it slightly begs the question of why she never got professional training and decided to live as a therapist or a teacher or one of the other "ordinary people" she so longed to be.

She did undergo professional training.

https://www.royalcourt.no/artikkel.h...8745&sek=27287

In autumn 1992 Princess Märtha Louise began attending Bjørknes Privatskole in Oslo. She subsequently pursued a physiotherapy education programme at Oslo University College. After finishing the programme, the Princess completed her practical training in Maastricht, the Netherlands. In December 1997 she was awarded her formal qualification as a physiotherapist, and in 2000 she qualified as a Rosen practitioner.

In 2002 she renounced her rights to a taxpayer-funded allowance and a role as a working royal member of the Royal House, so that she could seek a non-royal career.

Originally Posted by HereditaryPrincess

ML wants to have her cake and eat it too. Reminds me of when Princess Madeleine of Sweden wanted her children to lead private lives but still wanted to keep their princely titles.

I'm quite sure Princess Madeleine of Sweden never stated that her children should lead private lives while still keeping their princely titles. And following the King of Sweden's decision that his younger children's children should lead private lives without titles connected to membership of the Royal House, she stated that she and her husband welcomed the decision wholeheartedly.

Originally Posted by caethi

I learned all I need to know about him when he said, "I just feel really proud of my woman."

What do you mean?

[Countessmeout]

I think some people get confused. They think 'royal title' means it comes with funding and roles and such.

In reality in the more 'slimmed down' monarchies there are plenty of royals with titles (in some cases a different title like Prince of Nassau instead of Prince of Luxembourg) who will never be working royals. Madeleine's children have titles like Princess Beatrice and Eugenie, and like them, were never likely to have worked. Even with the proclamation. The titles don't come with any actual role, or power, or money from the government. The only money Madeleine and CP get from the government comes from their father's money.

Martha Louise took a step back from royal duties, and gave up her HRH, so she could make her own money. Honestly more royals should be allowed to do so. There should at least be a balance. Even in the UK they don't need that many full time royals. The York girls have proven you can balance a full time job with a dozen or so patronages.


The problem with ML is not that she went private and gave up her duties. A lot of people would be happy for one less royal to fund. It's what she did with it. It was the whole 'speaking to angels'. Even without her HRH, people know she is the daughter of the king, and what she chooses to do does cause talk.


Now she is dating this Shamen, with all these 'new age' ideas, and people are concerned that he will lead her even further down her questionable angel path. And more then that, concern for her daughters who are minors.

[W.Y.CII]

Honestly I don't care what ML and her boyfriend is doing, personally I found they are annoyingly bizarre. What I concern is her daughters, they had lost their father, ML might be still a caring, supportive mother, but I am not sure the people around her would be a good influence to her daughter, especially they are still minors, still rely on their mother. (I agree with Muhler, Maud seems very, or even too mature for her age, because she has to!)

Would be interesting to see the Norwegians' opinion on ML.