Princess Martha Louise of Norway has announced her engagement to shaman Durek Verrett

The only daughter of Norwegian King Harald V, 50-year—old Princess Marta Louise, announced her engagement to her long-time boyfriend, 47-year-old African-American shaman Durek Verrett, with whom she has been dating since 2019.

I am so happy to announce that I am engaged to Shaman Durek — the one who makes my heart beat faster, the one who appreciates me and recognizes my highest potential, who makes me laugh and with whom I can be weak. Love transcends everything and makes us grow. And I'm so happy to grow up with this wonderful person,

— the princess wrote on Instagram *, posting a photo from the engagement.

The groom presented the bride with an emerald ring weighing 3.5 carats framed with diamonds.

I rejoice with tears in my eyes that I will spend the rest of my life with the purest heart, an angelic, wise, strong woman who is a real goddess in my eyes. Together, as a soulful couple, we will use our strength to support people and create a world based on love and acceptance. We change the world with our love. Love transcends all barriers and conditions. Love is free and transparent,

— Durek wrote in his blog.

The Norwegian royal family congratulated them on their engagement on their website.

His Majesty the King and Her Majesty the Queen send their warmest wishes to Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett, congratulate them on their engagement and wish them all the best in the future,

— the official message says.

The princess's brother, Crown Prince Haakon, and his family also sent their congratulations via the official website of the royal family.

The relationship between the princess and the shaman from the very beginning was in the spotlight and was vigorously discussed online, and the identity of the chosen one of Martha Louise aroused suspicion among many. However, the Norwegian aristocrat immediately besieged all critics, saying that it was not worth judging her.

For those of you who want to criticize, I advise you to take your time. It's not for you to choose for me or judge me. I choose a man not to satisfy any of you or to meet the norms and frameworks that you have come up with for me,

Martha Louise said when she first introduced her boyfriend to the public.

Soon after the beginning of the novel, the princess began to take part in webinars and shaman lectures, they called their educational tour "The Princess and the Shaman" (The Princess and the Shaman). But soon she had to abandon the use of her title for commercial purposes — this decision was made in consultation with the royal family.

Durek Verrett is engaged in healing and arranges spiritualistic sessions. He is quite popular in Hollywood: he is often invited to various events and he is familiar with some stars, for example, Gwyneth Paltrow. The Hollywood actress even called the shaman her spiritual mentor.

Before meeting the shaman, Princess Martha Louise had been married to Ari Ben for 14 years, with whom she gave birth to three daughters: Mod Angelica, Leia Isadora and Emma Tallulah. The couple divorced in 2016. The couple's divorce was the first in the history of the modern royal family of Norway.

*Instagram is owned by Meta, a recognized extremist organization in the Russian Federation