Rebel Royals: An Unlikely Love Story

Synopsis: Interviews with Märtha Louise and Durek Verret about their relationship. ML is a princess, the daughter of King Harald V of Norway. DV, an American, is a self-professed shaman.

Even though Rebel Royals: An Unlikely Love Story is basically propaganda for the couple, their own words and actions show them to be venal and ridiculous. Verret, prior to meeting Märta Louise, made a living as a “shaman” to moneyed Los Angelinos. Märta Louise, a textbook flake, opened an angel school/ engelskolen that offered lessons in communicating with angels. She does seem like a nice person.

The two met through a mutual friend in 2018. Durek claims he had been working as a model before he began being paid as a shaman. He says he is a 3rd generation shaman. He likes to talk about how he is a Scorpio too. That’s not all; he’s also part reptilian and part Andromedan. That’s right, he is a cold-blooded vertebrate and also has ancestors from the Andromeda galaxy.

Durek, né Derek David Verrett, says that he is a soul sexual. He put off meeting Martha because he was ‘married to the world’ and busy ringing bells, shifting energies in clients’ bodies and communicating with spirit councils. He informed the interviewer that spirits were, in fact, surrounding him in the room, as they spoke.

Meanwhile, Märtha Louise is grinning like a fool. She smiles widely when he recounts that after meeting her, he has a vision of himself on a throne in Ancient Egypt with her by his side. Why is it always Ancient Egypt? Why not a past life as a member of an egalitarian hunter-gatherer group?

So, what is a shaman? According to anthropologist Manvir Singh, a shaman is a person who enters non-ordinary states, engages with unseen realities and provides services like healing and divination. More prevalent in pre-history, and often associated with animism, there are places in which shamans play a continuing role in their cultures. For example, in Siberia, among indigenous North and South American and Australian peoples, and in parts of Africa and Asia. Specific examples include the Hmong of southeast Asian and the Cree of North America.

It seems that Durek provided a cultural service to Westerners with too much money and not enough rational thought. Are you surprised that Gwyneth Paltrow described him in GOOP as her soul sister? Durek has said that some of his celebrity clients were/are actors Chris Pine (Star Trek) and Selma Blair (Legally Blonde).

I really felt for Märta Louise because the Norwegian media has allowed her little privacy.  She tells the interviewer that she has been hounded her whole life by the press. The press also photographed and reported on her boyfriends. When she married an artist, Ari Behn, he didn’t get favorable press. The couple had three daughters together and divorced in 2017.

I don’t feel badly for her marrying a con man– as he is frequently characterized by the Norwegian press– because she seems quite happy with him. Her daughters are interviewed, and they seem okay with Durek.

Durek was excited to meet Märtha Louise’s parents, King Harald V of Norway and Queen Sonja at the Royal Palace. “Martha” as Durek calls her, told him to just be himself. He was disconcerted when, wearing a kimono and cowboy boots, her parents just stared at him for a while. He said he didn’t know that this might unnerve the elderly Western Europeans. Sure. Anyway…

The couple’s bond is strong. Of course; his spirit animal is a raven, and she was wearing a t-shirt with a picture of a raven when they met.

Durek proposes and wedding planning begins…

Durek is a diva and has a highly personalized sense of fashion, best described as bizarre. He wants a royal wedding, not something simple and small like his fiancée wants. Durek wants to personally approve what each guest is wearing because he is, admittedly, “a fashion police.” Märtha briefly reentered reality and said she could not make her parents do that. Apparently, “sexy and cool” was agreed upon as the dress code. I hope that the King and Queen complied.

Durek says that the Norwegian press hates him. They do write a lot of negative things about him, but it seems they are just using his own words to make him look bad. Still, social media remarks were pretty hateful. Durek says that sometimes it depresses him. He magnanimously asks spirits to forgive the haters.

Durek says that some of the bad press is because of racism. King Harald sent out a statement that any racist remarks against Durek were unacceptable. Durek suggests that maybe the royals were just worried that he might give an interview to Oprah à la Meghan Markle. If he and Märtha Louise did sit down with Oprah, I think that Durek would’ve been jealous of Oprah’s star power.

Okay, so, Rebecca Chaiklin directed this fluff piece. I don’t really get it since she was a producer and co-director of the hard-hitting Tiger King. Maybe there would have been no interviews granted if his previous quotes were questioned. Stuff like Durek saying chemotherapy doesn’t work and unhappiness can cause childhood cancer.

Before the wedding date of August 31, 2024–which Durek and Märtha Louise determined through astrological signs– Durek becomes ill with kidney disease. He submits to dialysis for his failing kidney. I know what you are thinking: Why doesn’t he just heal himself? Durek has an answer for that. He says he is healing himself, just not completely.

The docu includes a clip of Durek hawking a medallion which can ward off/cure COVID 19 for hundreds of dollars apiece. Since that was a complete falsehood, the Norwegian government said he could not make that claim. He went on to peddle health medallions for dogs. Veterinarians have objected.

As for Märtha, it seems she uses her title of princess to bolster her commercial ventures. Which, she’s not supposed to do according to a legal agreement. Back to the wedding…

Norwegians began questioning who would pay for the wedding, set to take place in Geiranger. Märtha Louise and Durek found someone to foot the bill: the British tabloid HELLO! The paper paid for exclusive photo rights. We’re shown film of the couple and the three daughters on the wedding date, shielded by sheets and tarps to ensure that no Norwegian press would get pictures.

The royal rebel love story is pretty ridiculous. But the larger picture is interesting. How long can royalty last in the 21st century? In Britain, some of the public were angry that Harry and Meghan no longer wanted to participate in the royal family business due to press harassment of Meghan. In Norway, by contrast, it seems that the public would rather the princess and Durek not attend royal events. Similar to Harry and Meghan, Durek and Märtha Louise stepped away from all official royal duties. Märtha Louise does, to her credit, continue to sponsor a Norwegian charity for disabled children.

As in the British Royal Family, scandal, (including serious criminal charges against Prince Andrew), brings down citizens’ support of the monarchy. In Norway, in addition to any opprobrium against Durek and Märtha Lousie, there are criminal charges pending against Marius Borg, the stepson of Crown Prince Haakon Magnus. The twenty-eight-year-old has been charged with rape and domestic violence.

Maybe Durek could consult a spirit counsel and Märtha Louise could talk to angels about how to foster better relations between the Norwegian Royal family and their people. Perhaps the native trolls would have some helpful advice too.

Movie Loon’s Movie Review Shortcut:

Grade:   D

Cut to the Chase:  Sort of funny and sort of maddening.

Humor Highlight: Much of the stuff that Durek and Märtha Louise say.