Princess Martha Louise's wedding to Durek Verrett has ignited public backlash against the Norwegian royal family, exacerbated by allegations against a family member. Martha Louise, who no longer represents the royal family, has faced criticism for commercial ventures using her title. Meanwhile, her fiancé's controversial claims and the couple's media deals have sparked protests. As scandals mount, calls for constitutional changes and a referendum on the monarchy grow louder.
The upcoming wedding of Princess Martha Louise, the daughter of King Harald V of Norway, to the American entrepreneur and spiritual healer Durek Verrett, has sparked widespread criticism and a decline in public support for the Norwegian royal family. The couple faces scrutiny amid negative reports regarding one of their controversial family members facing initial allegations of domestic violence.

Princess Martha Louise, fourth in line to the throne, announced in 2022 that she would no longer represent the Norwegian royal family, focusing on her close work with her fiancé, who claims to have been a pharaoh in a past life. The princess, who retained her title, claims to communicate with angels, while her fiancé, Verrett, alleges to communicate with a wide range of spirits and possesses a medal that helps ward off spells and heal illnesses.

The engagement took place in 2022, and after marriage, Verrett will not receive royal titles or hold any official duties. According to a 2019 agreement, Martha Louise and Verrett agreed not to use her royal ties or title for commercial purposes.

Earlier this year, Martha Louise placed her name on bottles of gin a strong clear alcoholic drink, launching the brand concurrently with the wedding, challenging the King's instructions not to exploit her royal status, leading to a rebranding.

The couple sold the rights to their wedding photos to a British celebrity magazine and the rights to a film about them to Netflix. These deals sparked protests from Norwegian media, citing violations of local practices.

The couple often criticized the press in selfpromotion campaigns on social media. Meanwhile, Marius Borg Høiby, the eldest son of Crown Princess MetteMarit and stepson of Crown Prince Haakon, is suspected of causing physical harm and criminal damage.

Høiby admitted to being drunk and using cocaine when briefly arrested on August 6 in Oslo. Høiby, MetteMarit's son from a previous relationship, does not hold any royal titles or official duties.

Crowned with the pending royal wedding and the recent scandals, the erosion of support for the Norwegian royal system has been significant. King Harald remains silent on these issues.

A known Norwegian political party, critical of the monarchy, is leveraging the recent scandals to advocate for constitutional changes and the abolition of the monarchy.

Andreas Sjalg Ouneland, a deputy for the leftwing Socialist Left Party, commented on the royal wedding and the Høiby case, stating, "These cases highlight some of the fundamental challenges facing the royal system." He questioned, "Do we have to wait for a major scandal to the extent that we abolish the monarchy, or can we give it a graceful end?" Ouneland added that the nation must hold a referendum on this matter.

It is unlikely that the proposal, expected to be introduced next month, will receive support from other legislators.
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