Who is Durek Verrett, Princess Martha Louise's soon-to-be husband?

The Norwegian royal family will celebrate the wedding of Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett at the historic Hotel Union in Geiranger on 31 August, with festivities kicking off the preceding Thursday.

This will be the second marriage for King Harald V and Queen Sonja's daughter Martha, who shares three daughters with her late ex-husband, Ari Behn.

Martha began dating shaman Durek in 2019 and their engagement was announced in June 2022.

But what do we know about the groom? Here's everything you need to know ahead of the royal wedding.

The groom describes himself as a sixth-generation shaman whose mission is to bring the ancient practice of shamanism into the mainstream, by helping people to cultivate love and to accept themselves and others.

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Born in Sacramento, California, Durek was raised in the US – and Martha has been quick to refute claims by those, including his estranged mother Veruschka Urquhart, who say he did not have a wealthy upbringing.

In April, the princess shared on Instagram a series of photos of Durek’s childhood home, which she said is worth more than £2m today. She also included a statement from one of her fiancé's childhood friends, who said that Durek was "one of the richest kids at school".

Martha wrote: "This time they are repeating the lie that Durek was not from a wealthy family as a child… when the truth is that he grew up in a good neighbourhood, his mum left him at an early age and it was in reality his mum not having money, not him.

"Durek’s father’s bankruptcy came after Durek moved out, so he was not affected by it. This is the house Durek grew up in, in Foster City, California. It is worth more than NOK £30m [£2.2m] today and is 321 square metres [3,455 square feet]."

Durek as a shaman, author and alternative therapist

On his website, the American states that he is "a visionary for the Now Age" and is "redefining what wellness means".

He has nearly half a million Instagram followers and boasts a number of Hollywood connections. His celebrity clients have included actresses Gwyneth Paltrow, Selma Blair, Nina Dobrev and Rosario Dawson, as well as Bulletproof Coffee founder Dave Asprey.

"His appeal is that he is both human and otherworldly," Gwyneth has said. "He receives hugs with the openness of a child. He's disarming with big laughs but can tell you everything about yourself just by touching your arm."

Shared beliefs and stepping back from royal duties

Martha and Durek share a strong sense of spirituality, with the princess running her own alternative therapy centre, Astarte Education.

"When I was little, I would see things in you. If you had a pain in your shoulder, I would get a pain in my shoulder," she has previously told the BBC. "I understood that that's a talent and that I could help other people."

The couple's alternative beliefs contributed to Märtha's decision to step back from royal duties. In a move likened to the Duke and Duchess of Sussex's exit from royal life, it was announced in November 2022 that Märtha would no longer carry out official engagements.

"There’s been turmoil with me taking a different path. There's been a lot of criticism, especially with me being spiritual; in Norway, that's taboo," Märtha said, adding: "The Norwegian people, I guess, have decided it's best for me to step down because of Durek’s views."

Family life

Durek will become a stepfather to Martha's three daughters – Maud Angelica, 20, Leah Isadora, 18, and Emma Tallulah, 15.

Martha also has a brother, Crown Prince Haakon, 51, who shares two children with his wife, Crown Princess Mette-Marit - Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus.

While the couple conducted their relationship long-distance, Durek has recently moved to Norway ahead of the wedding.

He told the HeartSmart podcast, "When I was away from her, I would get her in moments and then she'd leave and I'd cry and get back to doing what I do. For me, what gets me is that I get to wake up every day to this beautiful woman."