Princess Martha Louise of Norway quit her royal duties amid backlash from the public against her husband, who is a self-described shaman and claims cancer is a choice.
Princess Martha Louise has faced extreme public scrutiny for supporting Durek Verrett’s beliefs and business practices, including the $222 “Spirit Optimizer” amulet he sells on his website. The Norwegian princess stepped down from her royal duties, the royal family announced in a statement Tuesday. The same day, she posted a video to Instagram with a caption explaining that she would be focusing on the alternative medicine business she runs with Verrett and insisting that ” alternative medicine can be a great supplement in addition to school medicine.”
Verrett claims he fought the coronavirus with his amulet and claims to be a “hybrid species of reptilian,” according to The New York Times.
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“Every time a person in the royal family gets engaged it creates media storms,” the princess said in a video posted to her Instagram account. “So also this time.”
“I will step down from my official duties as patron for various organizations. My heart goes out to the organizations and the wonderful people I’ve met through representing them,” the princess added.
She went on to clarify that she remains on good terms with the royal family and indicated that they remain “amicable — with respect and love for one another.”
“I would like to emphasize that there has been no discord through the royal family throughout this process,” she said in her Instagram video. (RELATED: REPORT: Prince Harry And Meghan Markle Aren’t Receiving A Warm Welcome In Potential New Neighborhood)
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The engaged couple took turns speaking in a slow, rehearsed manner while directly facing the camera.
“I have always wanted to support my fiancée Martha Louise and I want her to be happy,” Verrett said. “If life has become difficult because of some of the things that I have done, that was never my intention.”
“The same goes for her parents the king and queen,” he continued. “I respect their constitutional role. I know that some of the things I have said and done have been seen as controversial in Norway. Some have even argued that this has become a problem for the monarchy. I want to make it clear that this was never my intention.”
He then went on to identify that although he respects their concerns, he didn’t necessarily agree to be bound by them. “At the same time, it’s important to me to maintain my own integrity and be true to myself,” Verrett said. In the caption, the princess wrote that Verrett “has a right to his autonomy and to speak his mind like everyone else.”