Comment It is a classic royal love story. A princess gives up her royal privileges to be with her true love. This time, it’s Princess Martha Louise of Norway, who on Tuesday stepped down from her royal duties so she could work in alternative medicine with her fiance, self-proclaimed shaman Durek Verrett. In a statement, the Norwegian Royal House said the princess “is taking this step to create a clearer dividing line between her business activities and her role as a member of the royal family.” Martha Louise, 51, the only daughter of Norway’s King Harald, said in a video statement on Tuesday that there was no disagreement between her and the royal family and that she hoped the change would “lead to a calmer and more peaceful environment.” on her and Verrett, 47. The relationship – as well as some of Verrett’s more dubious claims – has come under intense scrutiny in Norway, especially after the couple got engaged in June. According to his website, Verrett describes himself as a sixth-generation shaman who is dedicated to “serving global spiritual evolution” and “redefining what wellness means.” There, he offers a 30-day program to “experiment with Shamanic knowledge,” along with other “Shaman School” courses and virtual “Wokeshops.” He also hosts a podcast and sells items like the “spirit optimizer,” a small $222 locket that Verrett says is “infused with frequencies and energies connected to the spirit world and the physical world.” A one-hour virtual private session with Verrett costs $1,500. Some of his claims have drawn criticism in Norway, including his suggestion that cancer is a choice. He has also said that having too many sexual partners leaves imprints on you that need to be cleansed. Critics have called him a “fraudster” and a conspiracy theorist. “I know some of the things I’ve said and done have been seen as controversial in Norway — some have even argued that this has become a problem for the monarchy,” Verrett said Tuesday in the video statement. “That was never my intention.” But, he added, it is important that “he has the right to autonomy, to determine what he believes and to speak about it.” The Royal Household said in a statement that “the situation we have found ourselves in as a family recently … has raised issues that are complex.” They said it was vital to balance maintaining a relationship of trust with the Norwegian people while ensuring the well-being of their family. Both Verrett and Martha and the royal family stressed that the couple still believe in conventional medicine. “I’m pro-med school, and I always have been, because I’ve seen many instances in my life where I’ve been saved by med school,” Verrett said. Alternative medicine, he said, should come “not instead of but in addition to the health system. Martha said she has been “impressed by all the knowledgeable people working in hospitals, clinics and educational institutions throughout Norway”. But, he added, he also believes there are components of physical and mental health that are not “a sum[ed] in a research report’. As examples, he listed spirituality, yoga, acupuncture and meditation. He said he wants to continue to “build a bridge” between conventional and alternative forms of medicine. The Royal House also condemned on Tuesday what it said were the “racist attitudes that Durek Veret had to deal with”, adding that they “consider the Royal House to reflect the national diversity of Norway”. When Verrett and Martha marry, he will become a member of the royal family, but without an official title or role, according to tradition, the royal house said. The king, however, ruled that the princess could keep her title — although she would refrain from using it in connection with her business activities.
