Princess Märtha Louise of Norway has married self-styled American magician Durek Verrett in a wedding that has divided the country.
The couple were officially married in a private ceremony at a hotel in Geiranger, Western Norway on Saturday after two days of celebrations.
Unlike other royal weddings where the public gathered in the streets, only a handful of people were present to witness – the view of the happy couple was obscured by a tent or white sheet after they sold exclusive rights to Hello! Magazine.
A documentary crew from Netflix was also present. The presence of the two major media companies caused some controversy, with local media channels largely excluded.
The princess’s parents, King Harald and Queen Sonja, attended the wedding along with other members of the Norwegian royal family, as well as princes and princesses from Sweden and the Netherlands.
Princess Märtha Louise’s three daughters from her first marriage to the late Norwegian writer Ari Behn were also present at the ceremony.
About 350 guests attended Saturday’s gathering, although there is no evidence that Mr Verrett’s A-list American friends were among them.
The 49-year-old Californian counts actress and wellness entrepreneur Gwyneth Paltrow as a friend – Mr Verrett calls her his “soul sister”.
But it was reported that Cynthia Bailey, reality TV star of the show Real Housewives of Atlanta, was also in attendance.
Princess Märtha Louise, 52, and Mr Verrett, who will not become a prince after their wedding, announced their engagement in 2022. Although their relationship has divided Norway, King Harald previously told Norwegian reporters that Mr Verrett was “a great guy” and that the two “laughed a lot, even in this difficult time”.
In 2022, the Norwegian palace announced that Märtha Louise would “relinquish her role as patroness” because she and Mr Verrett wanted to “make a clearer distinction between their activities and those of the Norwegian Royal Family” and “prevent misunderstandings regarding the Royal Family”.
The couple have since been criticised by the palace and members of the Norwegian parliament for linking their commercial activities to the princess’s royal status.
Their relationship has caused conflict within the royal family as well as public controversy, said Kristi Marie Skrede, a royal correspondent for Norwegian broadcaster NRK.
“Many Norwegians feel uncomfortable that she is using her royal connections to make money,” Ms Skrede said, adding that some saw it as a sign of “disrespect” towards King Harald.
Last year, Märtha Louise told the BBC’s Katty Kay that there was a lot of “upheaval” involved in her decision to take a different path from “traditional royalty”.
“There has been a lot of criticism over the years, especially because I am a spiritual person – and in Norway that is taboo,” she said.
But others admire the couple for their honesty, Ms. Skrede said. In particular, both are open about their spiritual beliefs.
Princess Märtha Louise has claimed to be clairvoyant, and until 2018 ran a school where she said she taught students to “create miracles” and talk to angels. Mr Verrett has said he is the latest in six generations of magicians and once said he was dead for four minutes and 25 seconds.
“I got all the information from the other side. I came back,” he told The New York Times.
