Norway's Princess Martha Has Found Love—With a Gwyneth Paltrow-Approved 'Spiritual Guide'

Rose Minutaglio
Photo credit: Instagram
Photo credit: Instagram

From ELLE

On Sunday, Norway's Princess Märtha Louise confirmed her new relationship with Shaman Durek Verrett, a "spiritual guide" to celebrities like Selma Blair, Nina Dobrev, and lifestyle guru Gwyneth Paltrow.

“When you meet your twin flame, you know. I have been lucky enough to have met mine,” she wrote in a lengthy caption. “@shamandurek has changed my life, like he does with so many. He has made me realize that unconditional love actually exists here on this planet. He embraces all of me without question or fear. He makes me laugh more than anyone, has the most profound wisdom to share and all the bits in between from the diversity of his being.”

The 47-year-old royal daughter of King Harald V and Queen Sonja continued, “I feel so happy and blessed that he is my boyfriend. Thank you my love, for including me so generously into your family. I love you from this eternity to the next.”

View this post on Instagram

When you meet your twin flame, you know. I have been lucky enough to have met mine. @shamandurek has changed my life, like he does with so many. He has made me realize that unconditional love actually exists here on this planet. He embraces all of me without question or fear. He makes me laugh more than anyone, has the most profound wisdom to share and all the bits in between from the diversity of his being. I feel so happy and blessed that he is my boyfriend. Thank you my love, for including me so generously into your family. I love you from this eternity to the next. And to those of you who feel the need to criticize: Hold your horses. It is not up to you to choose for me or to judge me. I don’t choose my man to satisfy any of you or the norms or boxes you have chosen in your mind for me to be in. I don’t thrive there, nor do I exist in your illusion about me. I choose from love. And that’s it. Shaman Durek is merely a man I love spending my time with and who fulfills me. So thank you for respecting my actions and my choice of partner. All I know at this moment is that we love each other and I am super happy. Have a wonderful, loving Sunday and Mother’s Day(for the USA). 📸 @dhendersonphoto #love #unconditionallove #newlove #boyfriend #inlove

A post shared by Princess Märtha Louise (@princessmarthalouise) on May 12, 2019 at 12:52pm PDT

Durek shared the gushy snaps, taken by L.A. fashion lifestyle photographer Daryl Henderson, on his own Instagram page, writing, "I'm free when I'm with her, free to be me and love a women who is a bright light of wisdom and profound grace and immense beauty."

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There is a grace and beauty about life when you fall in love. Something softens in you that's unspeakable, however felt in the very depth of your soul. Then your eyes see more clearly yourself and everyone else with the same reflection the heart feels. To be loved or not to be loved for I'd rather be loved unconditionally then not to be loved at all. This is what I feel from @princessmarthalouise, pure acceptance of my multidimensional self. Not just the Shaman, however the woman in me, the strong man in me, the little boy, ET, the jaguar, the scientist and the angel and more. All loved by this Goddess, who I honor and worship. Where I can cry in her arms when I'm sad or hurt and laugh about life and its many complexities. A strong woman who lets me be me without judgement or confinement. I'm free when I'm with her, free to be me and love a women who is a bright light of wisdom and profound grace and immense beauty. Happy Mothers Day powerful women of the world. I honor you and your devotion to life. Thank you @dhendersonphoto

A post shared by Shaman Durek (@shamandurek) on May 12, 2019 at 12:50pm PDT

The princess, who ended her 14-year marriage to Ari Behn in 2016, was reportedly Shaman Durek's client before the relationship turned romantic. He claims the writing was in the stars, and that his family predicted long ago he'd find love with a Norwegian royal.

“My mother told me that one day someone from her heritage in Norway would find me and bring so much joy in my heart. I asked her ‘who mother’? ‘She said a princess.’ I laughed and said ‘ok a princess whatever mother your funny.’ Well she was right my kindred spirit found me,” he captioned the photo.

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Excited to share with the tribe on Ancient Wisdom Today. My good friend and activist @nina will be joining me to discuss her childhood journey to becoming an actress and how her spiritual path began. Coming soon. Wonderful day spent together with family was Lit 🔥 #ninadobrev #humanitarian #healing #shamandurek 🚂🔥Tribe what type of topics would you like to hear on AWT?

A post shared by Shaman Durek (@shamandurek) on Feb 1, 2019 at 6:51pm PST

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Connecting with friends who are literally kindred spirits is like taking a long deep breath of Awe that goes on as long as they are there. Such #kismet So happy to have had family lunch together at my house and talk all things love and spiritual change with @vanderkimberly @vanderjames @lucasvon006 life is beautiful. #friends #soulfamily #shamandurek

A post shared by Shaman Durek (@shamandurek) on Jan 12, 2019 at 3:39pm PST


Shaman Durek's feed is littered with selfies with a slew of celebrities, like Gwyneth Paltrow, whom he calls his "soul sis." Paltrow has featured him on her lifestyle blog Goop several times, including a Q&A in which he claims to be a Northern California native born to "an African-Haitian father and an East Indian/Norwegian mother," who "began his shamanic studies at the age of 12-as the spiritual heir to his great-grandmother Mamal."

In the article, he details his works with clients-ranging from tech CEOs to Hollywood A-listers to European-to expel negative energy and restore inner peace."I am known by many as the 'no nonsense' shaman," he says. "I’m not into fairy tales and fluffy bunnies. I’m into practical and easy solutions that are not convoluted, which is the basis of shamanism: I keep it simple and rooted in common sense. My sessions range from something as tame as just speaking and going through emotional transfusions to life-changing moments where clients literally puke up poisons, shake, and feel electric shocks in the body, detoxing on very deep levels. It depends on what the elders feel is most beneficial."

His unusual supposed abilities and the ensuing effects (puking up poisons?!) have caused quite a stir on social media-and brought to light some contentious past remarks. According to Norway Today, Shaman Durek has claimed he can split atoms.

That's not to say Princess Märtha Louise herself is without controversy. The royal was previously criticized for her friendship with a British clairvoyant named Lisa Williams in 2014, which earned her the moniker “Norway's Princess of the Paranormal.” She's also previously stated that she herself has psychic powers and can communicate with angels.

Her father, King Harald, addressed the new romance on Tuesday, saying that he hasn’t met Shaman Durek, but is happy they've found each other, according to Yahoo! News.

The pair are now heading out on a five-city tour together called “The Princess and the Shaman.” They will be giving speeches about “challenging you to expand your horizon and will give you some tools on the road so you can get deeper into an understanding of who you are,” according to a description posted on the tour website.

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