Princess Märtha Louise of Norway

by Susan Flantzer  © Unofficial Royalty 2014

 

Princess Märtha Louise was born at Rikshospitalet in Oslo, Norway on September 22, 1971. She is the elder of the two children of King Harald V of Norway and Queen Sonja (born Sonja Haraldsen).  Märtha Louise has one younger brother:

Princess Märtha Louise was christened on October 19, 1971, at the Royal Chapel of the Royal Palace in Oslo. Her godparents were:

 

The princess is named after her grandmother Crown Princess Märtha of Norway, born Princess Märtha of Sweden, and her great-great-grandmother Queen Louise of Denmark, born Princess Louise of Sweden. Märtha Louise is a descendant of the eldest son of Queen Victoria, King Edward VII of the United Kingdom via his youngest daughter Maud who married King Haakon VII of Norway.

When Märtha Louise was born, as a female, she was not in the line of succession. In 1990, Norway’s succession law was changed to not only include females in the succession but also to allow absolute primogeniture in which the eldest child succeeds to the throne regardless of gender. However, it was decided that this would apply only to those born after 1990, so even though Märtha Louise was older than her brother Haakon, he remained ahead of her in the line of succession.

Märtha Louise began her primary education at the Smestad School, a public school in Oslo, Norway. She completed her secondary education at Kristelig Gymnasium in Oslo in 1990, with an emphasis on languages. Growing up, Märtha Louise sung in a choir, played the flute, was a member of a folk dancing group at the Norwegian Museum of Cultural History, and was an avid equestrian.

 

In the autumn of 1990, Märtha Louise moved to England to improve her equestrian skills at Waterstock House Training Centre and to study literature at the University of Oxford. She later trained at Arena UK to perfect her skills as a showjumper. The princess competed on the Norwegian National Show Jumping Team, retiring from competition in 2000.

When she returned to Norway in 1992, Märtha Louise studied at Bjørknes Private School in Oslo for a year and then enrolled in a physiotherapy education program at Oslo University College.  In December 1997, she was awarded her formal qualification as a physiotherapist and in 2000, she qualified as a Rosen Method therapist.

Martha Louise_reading

Princess Märtha Louise reading from her Norwegian fairy tales book; Photo source: The Princess Letters Project

Since 2002, Princess Märtha Louise has had a business in which she conducts cultural work and her work as a Rosen therapist. She has been active in spreading traditional Norwegian fairy tales to a wider audience, starred in a storytelling series on Norwegian television, authored several books and audiobooks, and participated in the production of television programs for children.

Princess Märtha Louise became engaged to the author Ari Behn on December 13, 2001. The couple was married in Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, Norway on May 24, 2002.  In August 2016, it was announced that the couple separated. They divorced in 2017. Sadly, Ari Behn died by suicide on December 25, 2019, at his home in Lommedalen, Norway.

Queen Sonja, King Harald, Princess Märtha Louise, Emma Tallulah Behn, Leah Isadora Behn, and Maud Angelica Behn in July 2017

Princess Märtha Louise and Ari Behn had three daughters who are untitled and follow their mother in the line of succession to the Norwegian throne.

  • Maud Angelica Behn (born 2003)
  • Leah Isadora Behn (born 2005)
  • Emma Tallulah Behn (born 2008)

Durek Verrett and Princess Märtha Louise of Norway attend Starlite Gala on August 11, 2019 in Marbella, Spain

Märtha Louise has often faced criticism in Norway for her claims of being clairvoyant and for commercially exploiting her title of princess. In May 2019, she announced that she was in a relationship with an American citizen, a shaman named Durek Verrett who has faced strong criticism in Norway and has been characterized by Norwegian media and other critics as a conman. Together Märtha Louise and Verrett have held seminars titled “The Princess and the Shaman,” which also were widely criticized. In August 2019, Märtha Louise stated that she would no longer use the princess title in commercial contexts.

Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett; Photo: Daryl Henderson / NTB

On June 7, 2022, Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett announced their engagement with the following official announcement from the Royal House of Norway:

Her Highness Princess Märtha Louise and Mr. Durek Verrett announced their engagement today, 7 June. Their Majesties The King and Queen extend their heartiest congratulations to Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett, and wish the couple all the best for their future together. Their Royal Highnesses The Crown Prince and Crown Princess and their family extend their warmest congratulations. They send their best wishes to the whole family for a happy future.

On November 8, 2022, the Royal House of Norway announced that Princess Märtha Louise of Norway had renounced her official duties because she “wishes to differentiate more clearly between her own activities and her relationship to the Royal House of Norway.” Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett “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 the princess’ Instagram account. King Harald V of Norway, Princess Märtha Louise’s father decided that his daughter will keep her title. The press release also stressed that Durek Verrett “will become a part of the Royal Family” and “attend family-related gatherings, such as birthday celebrations, as well as certain major sporting events that the Royal Family traditionally attends together.”

 

On September 13, 2023, the Royal House of Norway announced that Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett would marry. King Harald V states: “The Queen and I are delighted that Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett have announced their wedding plans today. We are happy to include Durek Verret in our family and look forward to celebrating the big day with them. We wish Märtha and Durek all the best.” The couple were married in a private ceremony on August 31, 2024, at the Hotel Unio in Geiranger, Norway.

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