Norway princess and US shaman's wedding begins

Oslo: Festivities have begun for the wedding of Norwegian Princess Martha Louise and her American partner, self-styled shaman Durek Verrett, media reports said.

Hundreds of guests are arriving in the town of Alesund, in western Norway, for a “meet and greet” in a historic hotel, according to the BBC.

On Friday, they will travel by sea to the scenic town of Geiranger, on the shores of a fjord designated a Unesco World Heritage Site.

The wedding program says that guests will enjoy a "light lunch on the boat while witnessing the majestic mountains and waterfalls.".

The couple will then tie the knot at a private event on Saturday.

Members of the Swedish royal family are said to be attending alongside various social media influencers and TV personalities, including US reality star and model Cynthia Bailey.

According to Norwegian media, guests have been asked not to use mobile phones or cameras during the celebrations and not to post anything on social media.

Princess Martha Louise, 52, and Mr. Verrett, 49, announced their engagement in 2022, according to media reports.

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A post shared by Märtha Louise (@iam_marthalouise)

The princess, a former equestrian and the eldest of Norwegian King Harald’s two children, was previously married to the late writer and artist Ari Behn, with whom she had three daughters: Maud, Leah, and Emma. The two divorced in 2017. Mr. Behn, who was suffering from depression, died on Christmas Day 2019.

On Wednesday, it was also revealed that the couple has been working with Netflix for a year on what the streaming giant called an “in-depth and moving documentary” on their relationship.

“We’re going more global, and there’s nothing more powerful than the love that fuels us,” Mr. Verrett wrote on Instagram.

Princess Märtha Louise is King Harald's eldest child and fourth in line to the throne.

Her younger brother, Crown Prince Haakon, will succeed his father as king.