Princess Märtha Louise of Norway Reflects on 'Challenging Year' After Stepping Down from Royal Role

Princess Martha Louise/Instagram

Princess Märtha Louise of Norway is looking back at her past and ahead to her future as a new year begins.

The 51-year-old daughter of King Harald V and Queen Sonja posted a smiling selfie in a red outfit to Instagram on New Year's Day. In the heartfelt caption, Märtha Louise spoke about the highs and lows of 2022 — the year she got engaged and later relinquished her royal duties.

"2022 was a challenging year for me in many ways. It was also a year filled with joy, happiness and love," she began. "Life has its challenges. No one can escape them, but it is up to each and [every one] of us how to meet those challenges. When we manage to meet everything with the love from our core, we manage to rise above the fear, the disturbance, the anger, grief and everything else. But the times we can't live from our core, from love, we sink into despair, loneliness, anger, [judgment] and life's challenges. I have had my fair share of ups and downs as have everyone I know."

"I sincerely hope 2023 expands our deep love for each other," Märtha Louise continued, voicing her hopes for a world where "all of us can breathe freely, be who we are meant to be, grow and expand into our true selves from love."

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Per Ole Hagen/Getty

"Let 2023 be the year we step into love and shower our selves with doing things that make us happy," the royal continued. "Have a great 2023. Happy New Year."

Her fiancé Shaman Durek commented on the post, writing, "Oh my God, love! You light up the room like 10 thousand diamonds 💎 You keep it fire 🔥 slay!"

"Your words speak the truth. Love is all there is above all things let us ride that wave all the way baby," the Los Angeles-based "spiritual guide and gifted healer," 47, continued in a second comment. "Let's keep it hot and let's keep it real always. Nobody can stop us."

Momodu Mansaray/Getty

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In November, the Royal House of Norway announced that Märtha Louise officially stepped away from her royal role. The palace said the decision was made so that she could more freely pursue other interests without the restrictions of being affiliated with the crown. The only daughter of King Harald and Queen Sonja, both 85, retains her princess title and remains welcome at family events, the statement said.

"The King and Queen wish to thank Princess Märtha Louise for the important work she has carried out in her official capacity for several decades. She has performed her duties with warmth, care and deep commitment," the palace added.

Princess Märtha Louise confirmed the news in an Instagram video, giving a brief address in Norwegian.

LISE AASERUD/AFP via Getty Crown Prince Haakon, Princess Martha Louise, King Harald and Queen Sonja

In an extensive caption, she wrote, "In consultation with His Majesty the King and the rest of the immediate family, I have decided that, at the present time, I will not continue my official duties as patron of various organizations. Someone else in the family will take over my role. I wish the organizations the best of luck with the important work they are doing."

She confirmed that the transition process had been smooth, "where we have all embraced each other's views in a loving and respectful way." As for the new adventures ahead, Märtha Louise said, "I am concerned with health and research and myself have an education in the field of health as a physiotherapist and respect school medicine. I see alternative medicine as an important supplement to school medicine."

"Hope this brings greater peace both for the Royal House in their important work and for my fiancee, Durek Verrett and me," the caption concluded.

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Märtha Louise and her fiancé have been together for over three years. She took their relationship Instagram official in May 2019, describing Durek as her "twin flame." The couple got engaged in June 2022 and have yet to announce a wedding date.

HAKON MOSVOLD LARSEN/NTB/AFP via Getty

Märtha Louise's royal exit does not affect the Norwegian line of succession. Though Martha Louise is two years older than her 49-year-old brother Crown Prince Haakon, he was always destined to inherit the throne. Absolute primogeniture (the right to rule regardless of gender) was not constitutionally adopted in Norway until 1990, according to the Royal House. The places of King Harald's two children in the line of succession remain dictated by the male-preference cognatic primogeniture previously enforced, and the precedent was set only for those born after 1990.

Haakon is followed in the line of succession by his daughter, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, 18, and son Prince Sverre Magnus, 16, whom he shares with his wife, Crown Princess Mette-Marit.