Are Norway's Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett taking a leaf out of Meghan Markle and Prince Harry's book?

When Princess Martha Louise of Norway stepped down as a working royal in 2022 after receiving backlash over her relationship with a controversial American shaman, it was dubbed ‘Norway’s Megxit’ in some quarters.

The daughter of King Harald and Queen Sonja, who has always claimed to be a clairvoyant, decided to renounce her claim to the throne in order to wed Durek Verrett – in a move not dissimilar to Prince Harry’s decision to step down in a row over how his American wife had fared in The Firm.

As the Princess, 52, and Durek, 49, finally tied the knot on August 31 in a ceremony in the Geiranger Fjord in western Norway, they officially began their foray into married life – but some details of their wedding might sound familiar to Sussex fans.

Although Prince Harry and Meghan Markle’s nuptials were a traditional ceremony at St George’s Chapel in Windsor, the couple’s projects since stepping away from The Firm and moving to California have broken from traditions and conventions that working royals would tend to follow.

Within their projects, and their quasi-royal lives, there are some striking similarities, including the company they keep among the Hollywood elite, financial deals with streaming giant Netflix – and even forays into the world of podcasting. 

So, as Martha Louise and Shaman Durek carve out a new life for themselves adjacent to, but not officially in, the Norwegian royal family, are they taking a leaf out of the Sussexes’ playbook?

Princess Martha of Norway, 52, married Durek – who is a Shaman – on August 31 in a ceremony in the Geiranger Fjord in western Norway

Netflix wedding deal 

Martha and Durek signed exclusivity agreements with Hello! Magazine and Netflix to cover their wedding. 

A ‘well-known Netflix director’ named Rebecca Chaiklin, who worked on the hit show Tiger King, will be making the documentary about how the couple fell in love, before Martha Louise stepped down as a working royal.  

And it seems the American streaming giant went all out on the production, with Aftenposten reporting that Chaiklin requested to apply for a drone permit ahead of the wedding. 

The publication also claims that an application to the Norwegian Civil Aviation Authority was made for drone filming of the wedding in Geiranger on Saturday 31 August. 

Martha and Durek signed exclusivity agreements with Hello Magazine and Netflix to cover their wedding

Many royal fans will remember the Sussexes’ own explosive Netflix series in 2022, Harry & Meghan, for which they struck a $100 million deal.

In the six-part series, the couple detail how they met, look back on their wedding and reveal glimpses into their life in California after they left the Royal Family – while launching scathing attacks on Harry’s relatives. 

This mirrors the story Netflix hopes to tell about Martha and Shaman Durek, as it wants to deep dive into the ‘unprecedented look inside the love story’ between the duo.

The Daily Mail’s Richard Eden reported that ‘Norwegians are not happy’ about the exclusivity agreements.

A spokesman for the Norwegian Royal Family also said ‘it denies other outlets fair access’.

The Duke and Duchess their debut on Netflix with their docuseries Harry & Meghan, which aired in 2022

Friends and family of Martha and Durek were allegedly not allowed to post much from the event online, according to outlet Se og Hør.

It is thought that this reported ban was linked to the agreements with Hello! Magazine and Netflix. 

A source told Se og Hør: ‘If there are too many ”leaks’ of photos, the sum the couple will receive will probably be reduced,’ in terms of the deals they have made to companies covering their wedding. 

Some Norwegian outlets have even branded the couple ‘Netflix’s new darlings’. 

A-list pals at their nuptials

Like the Duke and Duchess of Sussex, ever since leaving the Norwegian Royal Family, it seems Martha and Durek are looking to expand their friendship circle by tapping into the entertainment business. 

Sonja Morgan, from the Real Housewives of New York, was invited to Norway to celebrate their big day, along with 350 other guests. 

She told Hello! on Saturday: ‘It feels wonderful to be here, a truly spiritual experience.’ 

Sonja posted a clip of the scenery on her Instagram ‘I didn’t get to bed until 6am. What a wedding. Never want to forget this moment. Thank you Martha and Durek for sharing your love and your love for Norway. It’s hard to say goodbye.’

Sonja Morgan, from the Real Housewives of New York, was invited to Norway to celebrate their big day, along with 350 other guests and Cynthia Bailey from the Real Housewives of Atlanta (both pictured in Norway)

The seemingly wild celebrations also led to a guest throwing their cufflinks and bow-tie out of the window and it landed on the roof of one of the buildings, as Sonja showed on her video

Cynthia Bailey from the Real Housewives of Atlanta was also at the occasion and donned a sparkly dress 

The seemingly wild celebrations also led to a guest throwing their cufflinks and bow-tie out of the window and it landed on the roof of one of the buildings, as Sonja showed on her video.

Cynthia Bailey from the Real Housewives of Atlanta was also at the occasion and said to the outlet that she met Durek three years ago and that he has become a ‘very special person in my life’.

She also described Martha as ‘down to earth’ and ‘sweet’ adding that she also fell in love with her too. 

The couple also invited Margie Plus, a plus-size model from Los Angeles, who has almost 70,000 followers on the platform, alongside her husband Harald Austad. 

American actor Matthew Dennis Lewis who starred in the hit Netflix show, The Queen’s Gambit, was also in attendance. 

Shaman Durek announced in June that Parish Priest Margit Lovise Holte would be officiating their marriage.

But Reverend Michael Beckwith, who has appeared on Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul podcast, also got involved in the nuptials. 

Harry and Meghan also appear to be close with some of the Real Housewives clan themselves, after the Duchess sent a jam jar from her brand, American Riviera Orchard, to Garcelle Beauvais earlier this year.

She is known for her stint on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills and lives in Northridge which is a 80-minute drive to Montecito.

Margie Plus, a plus-size model from Los Angeles, (pictured) has almost 70,000 followers on Instagram and was on the guest list along with her husband Harald Austad (pictured at the wedding)

Cynthia Bailey, pictured in Norway, said to the outlet that she met Durek three years ago and that he has become a ‘very special person in my life’

American actor Matthew Dennis Lewis who starred in the hit Netflix show, The Queen’s Gambit, was also in attendance (pictured in Norway)

Norwegian Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett kiss as they arrive at their wedding party in western Norway on Saturday

Parish Priest Margit Lovise Holte (bottom left) married Princess Martha and Shaman Durek but Reverend Michael Beckwith, who has appeared on Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul podcast, also get involved

She previously made a jibe at the Prince and Princess of Wales, saying it was ‘shady’ for Kate and William to miss their niece Lilibet’s first birthday, which she celebrated at Frogmore Cottage in Windsor in 2022 during the late Queen Elizabeth’s Platinum Jubilee.

Harry and Meghan also had their fair share of A-listers and American actors such as Oprah Winfrey, George and Amal Clooney and David Beckham, at their 2018 wedding.

Oprah was invited to the nuptials having reportedly only met Meghan face-to-face once and it is not thought she had been introduced to Harry before their big day in 2018. 

Brand launches  

Much like Meghan’s American Riviera Orchard, Martha Louise has launched her own brand since her break from the royal family, after no longer receiving public funding.  

Around five years ago, she became a partner in the Hést clothing brand and maximised the opportunity to advertise it at her wedding on Saturday – along with her gin, made with Oslo Håndverksdestilleri.

As she and her groom arrived at their pre-wedding ‘sexy and cool’ party on Thursday evening, the couple donned outfits in matching print from Hést, featuring the brand’s logo emblazoned across a pink background.

As the Norwegian princess chose to promote her collection on herself, her marketing technique was not dissimilar to that of the Duchess of Sussex, who recently touted her ‘power’ in being able to bring attention to brands by wearing their clothes.

Last week, Meghan told the New York Times that she makes use of the ‘global spotlight’ upon her during public appearances, adding she will ‘support designers that [she has] really great friendships with, and smaller, up-and-coming brands that haven’t gotten the attention that they should be getting’.

The Duchess revealed her latest collaboration was with designer bag brand Cesta Collective – in which she has also invested.

Meghan, 43, has been spotted carrying Cesta Collective bags in recent appearances including the couple’s recent tour of Colombia.

Ahead of the wedding, Martha Louise arranged a ‘makeshift clothes shop’ inside her hotel, as reported by Se og Hør. 

The outlet says that items from the latest collection from clothing brand Hést were on sale next to the couple’s gift table. 

For their ‘sexy and cool’ meet and greet, both Martha’s dress and Durek’s suit were also designed by Hest, which had the letter H embroidered in the fabric

Princess Martha Louise of Norway (pictured) reportedly sold clothes from the brand Hest!, which she part owns, at her wedding reception

Garcelle Beauvais, known for her stint on The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills, is pictured with Meghan in November 2023

By getting Hollywood stars to buy her gin and wear her clothes, Martha has adopted a very similar tactic to Meghan Markle who has sent jam jars out to various A-listers  

Among the beverages available for guests were Martha Louise’s gin, which has previously provoked criticism of the royal: earlier this year, it was reported that the couple had been involved in creating the beverage which was made by Oslo Håndverksdestilleri (OHD). 

The label on the gin bottle said: ‘We created this gin for the wedding of Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett in Geiranger in August 2024.’

Princess Martha Louise is not allowed to use her title for commercial gain, and it was at first reported that while OHD generally collaborates on products it makes with celebrities, the couple’s gin had already been in the brand’s line before it was associated with them.

As Martha Louise promoted her products to the A-list attendees of her wedding, she’s using a tactic reminiscent of the Duchess of Sussex’s promotion for her lifestyle brand. 

Earlier this year, she sent 50 jars of jam from her new lifestyle brand American Riviera Orchard to some of the biggest names in the industry as part of the ‘slow launch’ of her company.

Kris Jenner, Chrissy Teigen and Mindy Kaling were among those sent jars and became ‘jamfluencers’, publicly thanking the Duchess for the sweet treats. 

Podcast  

Princess Martha Louise also took inspiration from Meghan by launching her own weekly podcast on Spotify called HeartSmart Conversations with spiritual mediums Mari Manzetti and Lilli Bendriss.

Their last episode was posted on August 28, a day before their three-day nuptials started named ‘Wedding coming up, Celine, Relationships and SoMe’. 

Princess Martha Louise also took inspiration from Meghan by launching her own weekly podcast on Spotify called HeartSmart Conversations

Princess Martha is pictured with her husband Durek on her Spotify podcast 

The royal couple launched the podcast in February last year, two years after Meghan started her Spotify podcast, Archetypes

The podcast is sold as ‘Three spiritual women with a deep felt desire to help all people understand the transformational power of love, and how to implement it into our lives for the better of all mankind.’

They launched the podcast in February last year, two years after Meghan started her Spotify podcast, Archetypes. 

Meghan welcomed guests such as Jameela Jamil, Paris Hilton, Mariah Carey and Serena Williams on her show, which ‘investigates, dissects, and subverts the labels that try to hold women back.’

It is unknown how much Princess Martha was paid for her podcast, but Meghan’s Spotify deal was reportedly worth around $20million.   

The Duchess’ podcast did not get renewed and last year, Spotify exec Bill Simmons described the couple as ‘f****** grifters’, an Americanism for swindlers.

Simmons, Head of Podcast Innovation and Monetiasation at Spotify, condemned the pair in an episode of his own podcast.

‘The f***ing grifters. That’s the podcast we should have launched with them,’ he said.

‘I’ve got to get drunk one night and tell the story of the Zoom I had with Harry to try and help him with a podcast idea. It’s one of my best stories.’

Norway’s ‘Megxit’

Princess Martha Louise, who describes herself as ‘spiritual’ and claims to be a clairvoyant, left the Royal Family in 2022, but was allowed to keep her Princess title, just as Harry and Meghan are still allowed to be called Duke and Duchess of Sussex. 

Martha spoke to the BBC in May 2023, after announcing she was stepping back from royal duties in November, admitting it had been a process filled with ‘turmoil’.

The Norwegian royal discussed how her husband’s controversial ‘views’ had contributed to how the public viewed her position in the royal family.

She said: ‘The Norwegian people I guess… have decided it’s best for me to step down because of his views about things.’

Princess Martha (pictured in 2021) was forced to leave her role as a working member of the royal family because of her husband’s controversial views

Shaman Durek and Princess Martha of Norway are pictured in West Hollywood in 2022

Durek was dropped by his publisher shortly after the couple announced their engagement in June 2022 over pseudoscientific claims he made in his book ‘Spirit Hacking’. Among the claims was that children ‘can get cancer from being unhappy’.

Durek has also claimed he once came back from the dead, recovering from a month-long coma, by letting his soul ‘burn’ and he has also spoken of having to undergo a kidney transplant from his sister as a child.

It is unclear why he needed the kidney or how he became wheelchair bound, as he has described. The illness which sent him into a coma is also undisclosed.

Princess Martha Louise’s comments echoed an interview she gave on Swedish TV in March 2023, in which she claimed she had ‘received the most criticism of anyone in Norway’ for her spiritual beliefs.

As she sat down with Anna Hedenmo on Min Sanning – which translates to My Truth – the royal said she felt she needed to step back because of public image.

She said: ‘I am probably the one in Norway who has received the most criticism of all, I think.’

Two years prior to Martha’s decision, Harry and Meghan were in a similar boat, and  made the choice to leave The Firm as senior royals in January 2020.

During the Covid-19 restrictions, the pair moved their family to California in June and Lilibet was born in the States a year later.

The pair are still called the Duke and Duchess of Sussex but are no longer addressed as his or her royal highness (HRH), with Harry also giving up his military titles. 

The BBC also reported the couple were frustrated that Buckingham Palace stopped them developing their ‘SussexRoyal’ brand. 

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