Crown Prince Haakon of Norway has opened up about his sister’s controversial Netflix documentary for the first time since its release. The new film, titled Rebel Royals: An Unlikely Love Story, follows the story of Princess Märtha Louise and her husband, self-proclaimed shaman Durek Verrett, from the early days of their relationship to the planning of their wedding in 2024.
In a move which bears striking similarities with the Duke and Duchess of Sussex’s story, the Norwegian royal couple, who have continuously been condemned by national media over their controversial views and use of their royal ties, have been accused of “breaching” their agreement with the royal household. In 2022, when the princess officially stepped down as a working royal, it was agreed that neither she nor her husband would use their royal links for commercial gain.
Märtha Louise’s brother and heir to the Norwegian throne spoke for the first time about the documentary during an engagement on Tuesday in Hallingdal.
He told Norwegian magazine Se og Hør: “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.”
He added: “We want there to be a clearer distinction between the activities of the Royal House and Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett’s projects and commercial activities. I hope we can achieve that a little better. Now they have issued a statement saying that they are concerned about the integrity of the agreement that we have from 2022, so there is something to build on.”
Meanwhile, a spokesperson for the Palace told NRK last week: “All people should have the right to tell their story. This also applies to Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett.
“At the same time, 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.”
The documentary, which was released on September 16, failed to catch viewer’s attention on Netflix, with several people giving it more than favourable ratings.
It’s currently rated as 2.5/10 on IMDB.