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Princess, Shaman, and Scandal- Norway’s Most Controversial Royal Wedding
- 2024/09/10
- 再生時間： 9 分
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The recent royal wedding in Norway is generating quite the buzz, and not for the reasons you’d expect from your run-of-the-mill fairy tale. While royal weddings are typically regal affairs, brimming with centuries-old tradition and dripping in jewels, this one threw a curveball that even seasoned royal watchers didn’t see coming. Enter Princess Märtha Louise of Norway and her fiancé, Durek Verrett, a self-proclaimed "shaman" whose Instagram bio could easily be mistaken for the plot of a Netflix original series. Their upcoming nuptials are not only shaking up the Norwegian monarchy but are also a fascinating (and somewhat bizarre) glimpse into the modern-day royal drama and spiritual mysticism. Let’s break it down. A Tale of Two Worlds Colliding On one side, you have Märtha Louise, a bonafide princess with a long lineage that would make even the most hardened cynic believe in fairytales. Her father is King Harald V, and she’s fourth in line to the Norwegian throne. On the other side is Durek Verrett, who’s not just any shaman—he’s an American-born spiritual guru to the stars, having gained a bit of notoriety for peddling questionable health claims and spiritual services. Verrett’s rise to fame came through a combination of Hollywood celebrity connections and, well, an impressive knack for self-promotion. He’s positioned himself as a healer, claiming to channel mystical energies that can cleanse people’s spirits, cure ailments, and connect individuals with their “higher selves.” All of this has left many Norwegians wondering if this is a royal match made in heaven, or perhaps somewhere else entirely. As it turns out, some royals are skipping the Becoming Queen Consort 101 classes and opting instead for a life with Instagram influencers who dabble in spiritual healing. Märtha Louise, who herself has leaned into the metaphysical world with claims of being able to communicate with angels, may have found her soulmate in Verrett, but not everyone in Norway is jumping for joy. The Shaman, the Controversy, and the Crown Verrett’s career as a shaman, and the more than a few eyebrow-raising statements he’s made, have ruffled quite a few feathers in Norway. He’s claimed that childhood trauma can be healed by holding one’s breath (a technique that would probably make any licensed therapist groan in existential despair). He’s also promoted a rather dubious concept called "spirit hacking," where he asserts that spiritual energy can essentially cure anything that ails you. These ideas are all well and good if you’re catering to the Goop crowd, but when you're marrying into a family that’s still somewhat rooted in reality, it tends to stir up controversy. The fact that Norway’s royal family is already seen as one of the more laid-back monarchies in Europe makes this wedding all the more strange. It’s hard to imagine Queen Elizabeth II, in her prime, allowing one of her offspring to marry a self-proclaimed shaman, but in Norway, it’s just another Tuesday. Of course, even with their more relaxed vibe, the Norwegian royal family has had to acknowledge that not everyone is thrilled with Märtha Louise’s decision to wed a man whose Instagram feed is filled with, well, non-traditional philosophies about health, wealth, and spirituality. King Harald, the princess’s father, has played the part of the dutiful royal, showing support for his daughter’s choice but also issuing statements that reflect the complicated nature of this union. The king has gone on record saying that they are “getting to know Durek better,” which, in royal speak, is the equivalent of “we’re still figuring out if this guy is for real or if he’s just really good at marketing himself.” And can you blame them? The prospect of a man who once claimed to have "cleansed" Gwyneth Paltrow’s spirit sitting at the royal dinner table is enough to make anyone in the palace staff question what’s going on. The Public Outcry Of course, the royal family isn’t the only group grappling with the news. The Norwegian public has had their fair share of things to say about this engagement, with reactions ranging from mild curiosity to outright disbelief. It’s not every day that a nation is asked to accept that their future royal in-law moonlights as a spirit hacker who charges a pretty penny for metaphysical health advice. Verrett’s reputation for promoting what many see as pseudoscience hasn’t exactly won him favor in a country where the royal family is still expected to carry themselves with a certain air of dignity. The news of the engagement has sparked a media frenzy, with critics and commentators speculating about how this wedding will impact the royal family’s already delicate public image. Norway’s monarchy doesn’t wield much political power these days, but they are still symbolic figures, and their actions have cultural and social consequences. The idea of a shaman marrying into the ...