Related Articles
Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and his wife put on brave faces as they arrived in Ålesund ahead of Princess Martha Louise’s wedding to Shaman Durek Verrett – as the royal family weather the scandal of Crown Princess Mette-Marit’s son’s preliminary assault charge.
The couple appeared to be in good spirits and smiled for photos outside their hotel ahead of this weekend’s celebrations.
Absent from the festivities – which reportedly include a ‘sexy and cool dress code’ for guests as well as a ‘Latin American’ party – is Marius Borg Høiby, the 27-year-old stepson of Norway’s future king.
In a controversy that has rocked the Scandinavian country, he had issued a grovelling statement earlier this month, apologising for attacking his ‘girlfriend’ Rebecca Helberg Arntsen, and citing his mental health diagnosis as a factor.
Norwegian tabloid VG has this month also published what they claimed were clips from two phone calls between the 27-year-old and his victim after the violent episode and vandalism in an apartment in Oslo on the night of August 4.
Crown Prince Haakon of Norway and his wife put on brave faces as they arrived in Ålesund ahead of Princess Martha Louise’s wedding to Shaman Durek Verrett – as the royal family weather the scandal of Crown Princess Mette-Marit ‘s son’s arrest
In the conversation, Høiby, son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit from a previous relationship, reportedly defends his assault as a ‘little pat on the back… hit you with a flat hand’.
But the woman allegedly replies that he hit her a hundred times and strangled her at least five times so that she struggled to breathe, according to the Norwegian report after it was translated into English.
Høiby also reportedly threatens to burn the victim’s belongings in a bin if she doesn’t collect them from Skaugum Castle, his family’s official residence, by a certain time.
Elsewhere in the calls, which were said to have taken place before Høiby was arrested by the police at 4.10pm, the Prince’s stepson allegedly mentions a third person, claiming they are scared ‘because I’m going to kill him’.
The individual isn’t named by VG, but the publication does state that they are known to both Høiby and his ‘girlfriend’.
Meanwhile, Høiby was also uninvited from a celebrity wedding in Italy after guests threatened to back out if he came, according to reports.
The 27-year-old is said to have deserted plans to attend the nuptials of Princess Martha Louise shaman Durek Verrett in favour of attending the wedding of a billionaire’s son in Italy. However, when guests discovered that Marius had travelled to Tuscany to attend the event, several threatened to pull out for fear of unwanted media attention, according to Se og Hør.
Despite the ongoing case, Marius arrived in Pisa on Wednesday, where Karianne Vilde Spetalen, 30, and Kristian Spetalen, also 30, will tie the knot in a ceremony filled with the Norwegian elite.
While Marius – who admitted assaulting his ‘girlfriend’ while ‘intoxicated with cocaine and alcohol’ following his arrest earlier this month – is free to go abroad, his lawyer, Øyvind Bratli, informed the police of his travel plans to allow for transparency.
He currently faces preliminary charges of bodily harm and criminal damage and could face up to a year in prison.
Norwegian news agency NTB said that Mette-Marit had postponed a planned trip to attend the Olympic Games in Paris earlier this summer, while her husband Haakon traveled to the French capital. The reason for the postponement was not given.
The couple appeared to be in good spirits and smiled for photos outside their hotel ahead of this weekend’s celebrations – Princess Martha Louise’s wedding
Haakon, 51, and Mette-Marit (pictured), also 51, opted for casual ensembles as they made their arrival in Norway’s west coast, as the Crown Prince’s sister’s pre-nuptials celebrations have already kicked off yesterday
The royal donned a simple navy suit, while his wife sported jeans and a matching denim top, teamed with a white jacket that featured an embroidered insect on the back. Later, Mette-Marit – who wore her platinum blonde tresses down in a sleek straight style – was spotted in a cream quarter-zip jumper
Marius Borg Høiby, 27, the son of Crown Princess Mette-Marit of Norway from a previous relationship, is facing assault charges
In Paris, Haakon told Norwegian reporters that ‘it is a serious matter when the police are involved in the way they are, but at the same time it is not right for me to go into the details of the case.’
He repeated the sentiments on Monday, as reported by Se og Hør, stating: ‘It is a serious matter. We are concerned that everyone involved gets good help and support – that they have good people around them.
‘This is a case that is now in the court system which the police are handling. That way, all parties are heard, which is good. I have great confidence that they will do it in an orderly, professional and fair way.’
He currently faces preliminary charges of bodily harm and criminal damage and could face up to a year in prison.
He intended to witness the nuptials of the son of a prominent Norwegian businessman and investor, Øystein Stray Spetalen.
Haakon, 51, and Mette-Marit, also 51, opted for casual ensembles as they made their arrival in Norway’s west coast, as the Crown Prince’s sister’s pre-nuptials celebrations have already kicked off yesterday.
The royal donned a simple navy suit, while his wife sported jeans and a matching denim top, teamed with a white jacket that featured an embroidered insect on the back.
Later, Mette-Marit – who wore her platinum blonde tresses down in a sleek straight style – was spotted in a cream quarter-zip jumper.
The wedding, which is on Saturday 31 August, is expected to be attended by other foreign royal families, along with their close friends and family, who will be expected to adhere to the ‘cool and sexy’ dress code.
Publication Se og Hør claims that on Tuesday, the couple sent out a message to their invitees and asked them not to share anything on their social media profile. The pair pictured in 2022
The 51-year-old royal first met Durek – who is a Shaman – in 2019 after they were introduced by a mutual friend.
But the couple claimed to have already known each other from a past life, specifically from the days of ancient Egypt.
They will tie the knot in the Geiranger Fjord in western Norway, according to Hello magazine, which is covering the couple’s wedding.
The picturesque area is famed for its natural beauty and is a Unesco World Heritage Site.
Martha previously wrote on an Instagram post: ‘We are incredibly happy to be able to celebrate our love in Geiranger’s beautiful surroundings.
‘It means a lot to us to gather our loved ones in a place that is so rich in history and intense nature experiences. Geiranger is the perfect place to embrace our love.’
The ceremony will take place at Hotel Union in Geiranger village, a four-star hotel that has a spa, indoor and outdoor pools, its own nightclub and even a vintage car museum.
But Princess Martha and Shaman Durek wanted to start their nuptials two days before they marry, on Thursday September 29.
Their pre-wedding events are understood to have kicked off with a meet-and-greet party and the pair told their guests that the dress code is ‘cool and sexy’.
Martha and Durek have rented out the garden of Hotel 1904 for their party in the quaint coastal town of Alesund.
The hotel is named after the great fire of Ålesund that hit the town in 1904 and destroyed almost the whole town centre.
Hotel 1904 seems to be beloved by the royal family as it has previously been visited by King Haakon of Norway.
It follows an art nouveau theme and prides itself on being historic, yet modern. The garden has its own espresso bar and eatery and even has direct access to a shopping centre.
As reported by Hello, the pair struck a romantic chord in matching pink and white ensembles, and the royal’s gown was adorned with heart-shaped buckles.
Martha Louise was radiant in a dusky halterneck dress from the Princess’s brand Hest – as her beau posed in a suit with the same pattern.
The outfits were a touching tribute – as Martha Louise co-founded the label she co-founded with her Maid of Honour Anne-Kari Johannessen and Monica Sundt Utne – after Anne-Kari’s husband, who was also Martha’s close friend, passed away from cancer four years ago.
On Friday, family and friends will also enjoy a luxurious boat ride along the Geiranger Fjord to Geiranger village, taking in the scenic views.
Princess Martha and Shaman Durek will then also throw a Latin American-themed pre-wedding party at Hotel Union which will include salsa dancing.
The couple will then have their ceremony, with the couple having seven bridesmaids and seven groomsmen in total.
Martha’s three teenage daughters, Maud Angelica, 21, Leah Isadora, 19 and Emma Tallulah, 15, are expected to be three of the seven bridesmaids.
Her parents, King Harald and Queen Sonja, are also expected to be in attendance along with her brother Haakon and his wife.
Princess Martha is seemingly very close with her family, previously telling the BBC: ‘From a very young age, I remember my mum and dad saying we have to stick together, we have to talk things through even if it’s hard, we have to put all the cards on the table because we are family, and we have to work things through all the turmoil.’
Marius Borg Høiby, 27, (left) spent more than 30 hours in custody after an incident in an apartment in Frogner, Oslo – where a woman in her 20’s called the police earlier this month (pictured with Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Crown Prince Haakon and the Crown Princess in 2022)
Shaman Durek announced in June that Parish Priest Margit Lovise Holte will be officiating their marriage.
Reverend Michael Beckwith, who has appeared on Oprah Winfrey’s Super Soul podcast, will also get involved in the nuptials.
The event will then be followed by the wedding breakfast and a reception, celebrating their lifetime commitment to each other.
Martha, who describes herself as ‘spiritual’ and claims to be a clairvoyant, got into a relationship with Durek after overcoming the loss of her first husband, Ari Behn, who died by suicide in 2019.
But things have not been easy for Martha, as she was forced to leave her role as a working member of the royal family because of her fiancé’s controversial views.
Durek stated that he believed that childhood cancer is caused by unhappiness in a book he wrote.
He published ‘Spirit Hacking’ in 2019 in the US, but publishers banned it in Norway over the unsubstantial claims.
After reading a translation of the book from its original English, the publishing house said at the time they were shocked by a number of unproven statements made by Durek in the book.
