Durek Verrett has undergone a successful kidney transplant a year after revealing he required dialysis several times a week "just to stay alive".
The American Shaman, who married Princess Martha Louise of Norway in a 2024 ceremony exclusively covered by HELLO!, underwent the operation at Oslo University Hospital, where King Harald is also currently staying.
HELLO! understands it's been a difficult time for the Princess having both her father and her husband in the same hospital, but she's very happy that Durek's operation has been a success.
The couple is "incredibly relieved and deeply grateful" after the operation was successful following a long wait for an organ donor.
They said in a statement: "First and foremost, we feel an enormous sense of gratitude toward the person who was willing to become a donor. It is difficult to put into words what such a gift means.
"The new kidney has given Durek a second chance, and that is something we will never take for granted."
The Princess and her husband thanked healthcare professionals at Rikshospitalet and the Drammen Hospital, with Durek adding: "I have received treatment in many places around the world, but I have never experienced the warmth, compassion and humanity that I have encountered among healthcare professionals in Norway in general, and at Drammen Hospital in particular.
"The way the doctors and nurses have cared for me, both as a patient and as a person, has deeply touched me. They have been my 'little angels' through a very challenging time."
© AlamyThe family has asked for peace and privacy during the weeks ahead as he recovers from the operation.
They are now hoping to raise greater awareness of the power of organ donation, adding: "We know how difficult it is to wait, and how much hope can rest on a single phone call. If our story can encourage more people to talk about organ donation and make a decision about it, that would mean a great deal to us."
Norwegian royal health crisis
The news comes as Durek's father-in-law, King Harald, continues to recover in hospital from haemolytic anaemia. On Sunday, the Royal House said his condition was "deteriorating" but that he was "stable", adding that there were no new updates on Monday.
Meanwhile, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, who is married to the future King, Crown Prince Haakon, underwent a lung transplant in June. She has pulmonary fibrosis, which scars the lungs and makes it harder to breathe.
© InstagramIn 2025, Durek opened up about his health issues, sharing: "I lost my kidney transplant several years ago. I now undergo dialysis three times a week just to stay alive. These attacks haven't just hurt emotionally. They've made that fight harder."
Speaking exclusively to HELLO! in August 2024, he said: "I've had a lot of blood pressure issues and have been prone to infections since I was a kid. I lived in countries such as Israel during wars and suffered physical abuse as a child – a lot of these elements broke down my system.
"My body couldn't take it anymore. I ended up in hospital where I had a near-death experience. I flatlined seven times and the eighth time the doctor brought me back. I was in a medically induced coma for two months, and then I was on dialysis for eight years."
