King Harald has spoken for the first time since the release of his daughter Princess Märtha Louise's divisive Netflix documentary. The 100-minute-long show, which aired on the streaming giant last week, shows behind-the-scenes as Märtha plans her wedding to American shaman Durek Verrett. The couple are known for their alternative beliefs, including the claim they met in a past life in Egypt, and the documentary, Rebel Royals: An Unlikely Love Story, has divided viewers and critics.
The show even prompted a response from the Norwegian palace, who appeared to suggest that Princess Märtha Louise had breached her agreement with the royal family over her commercial activities since stepping back from royal duties in 2022. The statement read, in part: "The Royal House wants a clearer distinction between the activities of Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett and the Royal House. This will be the topic of the conversations we will have in the future."
© GettyNow King Harald, 88, has commented on the documentary. The monarch answered questions from the press as he visited the World Wildlife Fund's premises in Oslo on Thursday. "We have to live on, so we will try to do something about this, through talks. We will continue the talks with them. I think they are more in line with us than it seems," he said, according to Se og Hør.
The king also says that he has seen the documentary, but that he does not wish to comment on its content.
Crown Prince Haakon breaks silence
Princess Märtha Louise's family, including her parents, King Harald and Queen Sonja, and her brother, Crown Prince Haakon and his wife, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, attended her wedding in Geiranger last August. However, the royal family requested not to be filmed during the recording of Märtha Louise and Durek's nuptials. Local media reports that a scene with Crown Prince Haakon speaking to his new brother-in-law, Durek, had to be deleted last minute following a request by the palace.
© HEIKO JUNGE/EPA-EFE/ShutterstockHaakon, 52, was the first member of the royal family to react publicly to the show. During a visit to Hallingdal on Tuesday, he was asked his thoughts on the documentary by Se og Hør, to which he replied: "I think I should refrain from judging it, but unfortunately I do not think that there is a good enough distinction between the activities of the Royal House and the project and the commercial side of Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett's activities."
© Action Press/ShutterstockDespite being younger than his sister, Haakon is the heir to the Norwegian throne. While the Norwegian constitution was changed in 1990 so that the first-born child would become the heir, regardless of sex, it was not altered retrospectively in the case of Haakon and Martha Louise.
