Kriti Mehrotra
While it’s true that Durek Verett publicly identified as gay at one point in time, things changed in the late 2010s. He expressed that his understanding of his identity had changed, and he began dating Norway’s Princess Märtha Louise. Though she is a member of the Norwegian royal family as the daughter of King Harald V and Queen Sonja, she has relinquished her royal duties to be with the man she believes to be the love of her life. This much and more has all been explored in Netflix’s ‘Rebel Royals: An Unlikely Love Story,’ which offers us a deep insight into the couple as they navigate their highly publicized union.
Princess Märtha and Durek Have Stuck by One Another Through Thick and Thin
It was back in 2019 when Princess Märtha first heard about shaman Durek through a mutual friend, piquing her interest owing to her own passion for alternative as well as spiritual practices. Therefore, she messaged him, only to be ignored for a long time because not only did he have no desire to be in a relationship, but he was also scared she would somehow hold him responsible for her happiness. However, he eventually caved by inviting her over to his home, and sparks flew the very moment they locked eyes as they both felt a deep, innate, unparalleled emotion for one another.
According to their own accounts, Durek was immediately left speechless upon seeing Märtha in a shirt with his spirit animal (a raven), whereas she was drawn in by his effortless charm. Her beautiful eyes and their shared spiritual passions further made him warm up to her, and they soon began dating. The news of their romantic involvement broke in May of the same year. It’s imperative to note that he has since asserted, “I don’t see myself as straight or gay. Doesn’t matter if it’s a male or a female… It’s about the energy they exude. Maybe it’s because I have not met the right guy, but I met Martha, and she has that, and it doesn’t matter what body it comes in. That’s what I fell in love with. I fell in love with her.”
This same transparency is what the princess genuinely adores about Durek, so it was no surprise when she invited him over to Norway to meet her entire family during Christmas 2019. Unfortunately, the trip didn’t go as planned owing to a lot of media scrutiny as well as the news of Märtha’s ex-husband dying by suicide, yet the shaman stood by her at every step. The support was reciprocated by Märtha when he faced tough times, continuing even after he received backing from her family and became like a father figure to her 3 daughters. In other words, they gradually figured out the needs of their relationship and made efforts to make things work, ultimately leading to a beautiful proposal in the summer of 2022.
Princess Märtha and Durek Are Enjoying The Bliss of Matrimony Today
Despite the scrutiny of several Norwegian public officials as well as news publications over countless situations in the past few years, Märtha and Durek’s relationship has never wavered. Instead, partly due to rising turmoil, the princess relinquished all her royal duties in November 2022 to focus on building an alternative medicine business with her beloved partner. As if that’s not enough, she even parted ways with some of her close friends because they were allegedly racist towards the shaman and declared a boycott on the media for their negative reporting. Thus, it’s evident there is mutual love, respect, trust, and understanding between the couple, enabling them to shine bright even during their darkest times.
Märtha and Durek actually tied the knot in a beautiful, intimate private ceremony on the premises of Hotel Union in the wondrous small town of Geiranger, Norway, on August 31, 2024. It was attended by all their loved ones, including the latter’s extended family, the Norwegian royal family, and members of the Swedish royal family, making the celebrations one of a kind. Since then, the duo has seemingly embraced matrimony in every sense of the term, splitting time between California and Norway to be a full-fledged family alongside her three daughters.
Unfortunately, Durek is not perfectly healthy today owing to his past kidney transplant reportedly failing, but it hasn’t stopped him and his new wife from undertaking new adventures together. In fact, to celebrate their first wedding anniversary, he whisked Märtha away to a country very dear to his heart, Turkey, where they spent quality time exploring the breathtaking Ahãma sanctuary. Whenever the couple is not traveling, though, they appear to be dedicated to their respective and combined careers of helping transform people through spiritual guidance/medicine.
“I am so blessed to have you in my life and to walk this path with you,” Princess Märtha penned for Durek for their anniversary on August 31, 2025. “We grow together, we laugh together, and you always see the best in me, reminding me of who I truly am and bringing out my authentic self… You lift me up, yet keep me grounded. Your light outshines anything I have ever known. What I treasure most is that you love my children as your own, and that you understand they come first—and love me even more for it. You are a brave, vulnerable, strong, wise, loving, and incredibly funny man. I love you, my darling, through time and space. In the end, love always wins.”
Read More: Durek Verrett’s Net Worth: How Rich is the Celebrity Shaman?
