Norwegian princess quits royalty to work with 'shaman' fiance

The 51 year old princess will give up her responsibilities and title so she can pursue her 'own activities' alongside her 'spiritual healer' partner.

Photo by Momodu Mansaray/Getty Images.

The 51 year old princess will give up her responsibilities and title so she can pursue her "own activities" alongside she spiritual healer partner.

Princess Märtha Louise of Norway has renounced her official royal duties to build an alternative medicine business with her fiance, a self-professed shaman, the palace has announced.

The 51-year-old daughter of King Harald V and Queen Sonja has relinquished the responsibilities she inherited at birth, so that she can freely pursue her “own activities” alongside her American partner.

In a statement, the palace said, "Princess Märtha Louise wishes to differentiate more clearly between her own activities and her relationship to the Royal House of Norway. The Princess has therefore decided, in consultation with His Majesty The King and other close family members, that she will not carry out official duties for the Royal House at the present time."

Princess Martha Louise of Norway ahead of a state banquet in the Royal Palace. Photo by Patrick van Katwijk/WireImage

The Princess will no longer employ her title. The one exception will be her Instagram account, which will remain @PrincessMarthaLouise.

Martha’s relationship with Hollywood spiritual guru Durek Verrett sent shockwaves through Norway’s elite, after the “sixth-generation shaman” suggested in his book Spirit Hacking that cancer was a choice.

The pair embarked on a speaking tour of Norway back in 2019 - titled "The Princess and the Sharman". 

Over the year many of her patronages, that were mostly medical organisations had dropped her as patron as they viewed some of the pseudoscience the couple championed to be exploitive and potentially dangerous.

On his website, Verrett sells a “Spirit Optimiser” medallion, which he claims helped him overcome Covid-19.

Verret has also helped “heal” Hollywood A-listers including Nina Dobrev, James Van Der Beek, Rosario Dawson and Gwyneth Paltrow who he counts as his “soul sister”.

"Shaman Durek has a lot of knowledge that can touch the world in a way I haven’t seen before. He is a light on Earth!" Paltrow wrote on his website.

Shaman Durek and Gwyneth Paltrow (centre).

Durek, who was born in Sacramento, said he first became "aware" of his shamanic abilities when he was five but that he didn't start training until age 11.  

"I teach people how to live harmoniously with each other, on a planet that we all share," Durek told Harper's Bazaar. 

His group healing sessions will set clients back by $750, while he charges up to $1,500 for a virtual private session - with the price increasing to $2,000 for in-person treatment.