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Durek Verrett sought King Harald V and Queen Sonja of Norway's blessing before proposing to their daughter, Princess Märtha Louise. "I have old school views on courtship, and asking for Martha's hand in marriage was about respect," he told HOLA!'s sister brand HELLO! in a pre-wedding interview.
The Princess' fiancé revealed that Their Majesties asked him questions about himself and the future, and then "went quiet for a bit." Durek admitted, "I was sweating as I waited for their response - and then they turned to me and said they'd love to have me as part of the family."
Märtha, 52, pointed out that at her age she could choose for herself. "But my parents had to wait nine years before they could wed and always told me they wanted me to marry whoever I wanted," the Princess said.
Durek popped the question in June 2022. "I went down on one knee, but was crying so much I could hardly get the words out. I had a sore back and got stuck on the ground, so she had to help me up," he revealed to HELLO!. "I said, 'Yes' straight away," the Princess recalled.
The couple will tie the knot on Aug. 31 at the Hotel Union Geiranger in Geiranger, Norway. The Norwegian Royal House has confirmed that Their Majesties, as well as Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Prince Sverre Magnus and Princess Astrid will be in Geiranger for the wedding. "The royal family is looking forward to being guests at Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett's wedding," the Royal House said on Aug. 26.
This will be the Norwegian royal's second marriage. The Princess was previously married to Ari Behn. She and the late author wed in 2002, and parted ways in 2016 before divorcing in 2017. Märtha has three daughters, Maud Angelica Behn, Leah Isadora Behn and Emma Tallulah Behn, from her first marriage to Ari.
Speaking to HELLO!, the mom of three admitted that after her divorce, she had decided to not get married again, but changed her mind after meeting Durek in 2018. "For me, getting married will seal the closeness between us," she said. "It's a way of elevating the energy and entering into a new phase of our relationship."