She is undeniably going her own way, whatever the cost.
And that is admirable in its own way.
She is not a dime a dozen.
Neither was Ari Behn—and certainly not Durek Verrett, the utterly unlikely and highly debated American shaman she has now chosen as her husband.
Märtha Louise and Ari Behn – newlyweds
1 / 2Photo: Mats Strand
Or as father the king, King Harald of Norway, said to Märtha Louise and Ari Behn at the wedding dinner in 2002:
- I'm sure it won't be a standard life. None of you are what can be characterized as "A4 people".
You can say a lot about Durek Verrett, but he is not an A4 person, either.
She has an unfailing nose for scandals, the beautiful and free-spirited Norwegian princess.
On Friday evening, Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett's wedding weekend got off the ground. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB
Today she says yes to the self-proclaimed shaman Durek Verrett in a meadow in Geiranger, with the fjord and mountains as a background.
Last time, the man at her side was called Ari Behn.
I was there that time, that May day in 2002, when they said yes to each other.
I sat in the mighty Nidaros Cathedral in Trondheim, together with Crown Princess Victoria, Prince Carl Philip and Princess Madeleine – that was before Daniel, Sofia and Chris O'Neill.
Here, Märtha Louise kisses a real frog. Photo: Mats Strand
Princess Märtha Louise, then 30 years old, was radiantly beautiful in her off-white wedding dress with the three-meter long train. The velvet-eyed Ari Behn had exchanged his extravagant blazers and colorful shirts for a tight coat - and in honor of the day had shaved off his signature stubble.
Märtha Louise wept with happiness when he put the white gold ring with brilliants on her finger.
It was a real fairytale wedding, with "princess school" for the children, with a real frog to kiss - and for three days the folk festival went on, which involved the whole of Norway.
Then the wedding was broadcast live on Norwegian television – this time Norwegian media are not welcome to be present during the wedding.
Märtha Louise and Ari Behn receive the people's love after the wedding. Photo: Mats Strand
No other media either – Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett have – for an unknown number of millions – sold the rights to the wedding to the British weekly Hello Magazine and the streaming giant Netflix.
The royal couple and crown prize Haakon and his family have, however, announced in protest against this that they refuse to pose for pictures that other media are not also able to take - that's neat.
How to solve it remains to be seen.
That is one of the differences with the wedding 22 years ago - otherwise there are many similarities.
Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Carl Philip are there this time too, now together with Prince Daniel and Princess Sofia.
In the years that have passed since the last time, they have also managed to get married and become parents, just like Märtha Louise herself, who had three daughters together with Ari Behn.
Märtha Louise and the children say a final goodbye. Photo: Håkon Mosvold Larsen / NTB
On Christmas Day 2019 itself, he took his own life, aged 47. Not only the royal family, but all of Norway, was shocked by the news that he was found dead at home.
On the same day, Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Werrett were at the Christmas fair together with the royal couple.
Now it's him she's going to marry - in a new fairytale wedding, which lasts four days.
But this time she and her husband-to-be have to pay for the multimillion-dollar party themselves. According to the media, it is the king himself who pays, from his private money.
Once again,Princess Märtha Louise has chosen a man of scandals.
For those of you who remember, the princess' love for Ari Behn also caused an outcry at the time.
Princess Märtha Louise – who is actually a trained physiotherapist, although she later devoted herself more to the spiritual, such as talking to angels – was on a course in rose therapy with his mother and fell head over heels for her son:
Ari Behn, the controversial writer who loved to be in the spotlight and to provoke.
In the media he was described as a "decadent clothes snob with an extravagant lifestyle".
And the headlines were not long in coming.
Ari Behn caused an uproar when it looked like he was smoking in a documentary.
Ari Behn caused a stir. First with a TV documentary about drugged prostitutes in Las Vegas, where it looked as if he himself sat smoking marijuana - then by sawing the then President of the United States George W Bush.
Then, as now, King Harald was forced to act.
Privately, he liked to socialize with Ari Behn, in convivial ways, and over the years Ari Behn became a valued member of the royal family.
But publicly the king was forced to mark.
Before the engagement, he declared that Ari Behn would in no way represent the Norwegian royal house, nor would he be able to title himself prince.
20 years later, history would repeat itself – with Durek Verrett.
King Harald and Queen Sonja greet the wedding guests. Photo: Heiko Junge / NTB
King Harald has once again been forced to publicly distance himself from his daughter's future husband, not just once but several times.
And this time he was forced to go a step further – two years ago Princess Märtha Louise had to renounce all her royal duties – because of Durek Verrett.
She is still allowed to call herself princess and she remains fourth in line to the throne, but she is not allowed to use her princess title in commercial contexts.
Compared to Princess's new love, the scandals and headlines surrounding Ari Behn at the time seem quite harmless.
He is today more or less canonized.
Shaman Durek plays in a different half of the field.
He claims to know how to drive spirits out of children with cancer, and during the pandemic he sold an amulet by mail order for several thousand kroner that was claimed to cure the disease.
Märtha Louise stands by Durek Verrett's side despite the storm. Photo: Cornelius Poppe / NTB
He has made a series of controversial statements that have caused both the Norwegian royal house and the Norwegian people to go to the roof.
And Princess Märtha Louise, despite all the criticism and despite everything it has cost her, has chosen to stand by his side, through thick and thin.
Today they say yes to each other.
We don't know what the next scandal will be.
Just that it will come.
King Harald can probably be said to have risen from the ashes in the fire - but he is said to be sober now.
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