Norway's Princess Martha Louise weds US spiritual guru

OSLO - Norway's Princess Martha Louise married her long-term partner, American spiritual guru Durek Verrett, on Saturday in a ceremony attended by the Norwegian king and other royalty but marked by what critics saw as commercialisation of the event.

The wedding was the culmination of three days of festivities to honour Martha Louise, 52, fourth in line to the throne, and Verrett, 49, a self-styled shaman from California, after the couple first announced their relationship in 2019.

The couple were joined in the picturesque western town of Geiranger by royals from Sweden and Norway as well as friends, social media influencers and Norwegian celebrities.

Martha Louise, the daughter of King Harald and Queen Sonja, stepped down from official royal duties in 2022 to allow her to more freely pursue her own business ventures, and said both she and Verrett would refrain from using her title as princess in a commercial setting.

But the couple has faced criticism from the Palace and members of parliament for linking commercial activities to Martha Louise's royal status.

At a media event staged by a liquor company in June, the couple introduced a special pink gin for the wedding, with the label bearing the names of Martha Louise and Verrett on the back of the bottle, and a pink monogram invented for the occasion.

Norwegian health authorities ruled this week that the marketing of the drink was inappropriate.

Martha Louise's first marriage, to Norwegian author Ari Behn, with whom she had three children, ended in divorce in 2017.

Saturday's marriage ceremony, in a large outdoor tent, was open only to media sponsoring the event and was not broadcast on television, in contrast to the princess' first wedding in 2002 that was held at the country's largest cathedral.

Martha Louise stirred controversy in 2007 when she announced she was clairvoyant and had started a school to help people by teaching them how to talk to angels.

Verrett becomes part of the country's extended royal family, as designated by the Palace, but not of the core Royal House of Norway, which includes only the monarch and the next two in line to the throne as well as their spouses. He will therefore not become a prince.