Märtha Louise of Norway (54) and her bisexual husband Durek Verrett (51) are, according to TV 2, the country’s largest commercial broadcaster, among the stars of “Alternatives Norway,” a six-part reality series. The princess and the self-styled shaman will appear this fall on the Viaplay streaming service.
According to the announcement, the series will offer a “warm, entertaining and intimate” glimpse into the Norwegian esoteric scene. Verrett himself phrased it clearly to the report: “I am connected to God, and if that makes people uncomfortable — well, then it will be very uncomfortable for you.” The show, in his view, will be “transformative” for Norway.
Much Criticism of Märtha Louise
Märtha Louise, daughter of King Harald (89) and Queen Sonja (88), said, according to TV 2, “I am very happy to help build a bridge and normalize this so more people will dare to come out and say who they are. The most important thing in life is that we dare to be ourselves.”
The princess has for years devoted herself to work in the field of “alternative therapies.” She opened, among other things, an esoteric center, for which she has been criticized publicly. She has been married to the controversial, often labeled a conspiracy theorist Durek Verrett since August 2024 (TheColu.mn reported). He often advocates bizarre positions — such as the claim that the introduction of the 5G mobile standard was orchestrated by “those who enslave the planet.”
His bisexuality is less controversial in liberal Norwegian public opinion — before the relationship with the Norwegian princess, he was involved with men. However, numerous of his former partners, including his former fiancé Hank Greenberg, accused him of domestic violence. In addition, a former Swedish manager accused Verrett in autumn 2024 of inappropriately touching him during an alleged healing session.
There were also speculations in Norwegian tabloid media about whether Durek is gay. In the Netflix documentary “Rebel Royals,” he said that Märtha Louise had initially introduced him to her daughters as her “gay best friend” to ease the situation. These statements led online to speculation about a so-called “Lavender Marriage,” i.e., a marriage entered into to conceal the actual sexual orientation of one or both partners. In fall 2025 the couple publicly addressed the rumors. In an Instagram video they jokingly played with the term “Lavender Marriage,” wore lavender-colored clothing and denied the allegations.
Tough Times for the Norwegian Royal Family
The announcement that the princess would speak on TV about her views could hardly be more ill-timed. The Norwegian royal family is currently awaiting the verdict in the trial of Marius Borg Høiby (29), the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit (52) from a previous relationship. The stepson of Crown Prince Haakon (52) pleaded guilty to several counts, but denies the most serious accusations, including rape. The verdict is expected on June 15.
Additionally, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who suffers from pulmonary fibrosis, is in worsening condition. The Norwegian royal house confirmed last week that she has been placed on the waitlist for a lung transplant. (spot)
