The biography of Princess Märtha Louise
Her Highness Princess Märtha Louise was born at Rikshospitalet University Hospital in Oslo on 22 September 1971. She is the daughter of His Majesty King Harald and Her Majesty Queen Sonja.
Princess Märtha Louise was named after her father’s mother, Crown Princess Märtha, and her great-great grandmother, Queen Louise, the mother of King Haakon VII. The Princess is fourth in line for the Norwegian throne after her nephew Prince Sverre Magnus.
Princess Märtha Louise does not carry out official duties for the Royal House of Norway, but she serves as the chair of the board of the Princess Märtha Louise’s Fund.
Princess Märtha Louise's Fund
Princess Märtha Louise's Fund was established on 15 September 1972 and the return on the fund’s investments is used to support measures in Norway to benefit children with disabilities. The allocation of grants takes place each year on 22 September, which is Princess Märtha Louise’s birthday.
Business enterprise
Princess Märtha Louise conducts various commercial activities under her sole proprietorship, including publication of books, sale of clothing, courses and lecture tours. The Princess is the author of several books and audiobooks, and has participated in the production of television programmes. Since 2002, she has been self-employed and subject to Norwegian tax laws. Princess Märtha Louise has not received an apanage since she began her commercial activities.
Family
Princess Märtha Louise and Mr. Durek Verrett announced their engagement 7 June 2022 and the couple got married in Geiranger 31 August 2024.
Princess Märtha Louise has three daughters from her marriage to the author Ari Behn (1972–2019). Maud Angelica was born in 2003, Leah Isadora was born in 2005, and Emma Tallulah, who was born in 2008. All three were baptized in the Palace Chapel. The Princess was married to Ari Behn from 24 May 2002, until 2017.
The role of Princess Märtha Louise
Clarification of roles
In consultation with His Majesty The King and other close family members, Princess Märtha Louise decided in 2022 that she will not carry out official duties for the Royal House at the present time. The aim is to differentiate more clearly between her own activities and her relationship to the Royal House of Norway.
In 2019, the Princess decided in consultation with her family not to use the title of Princess in connection with her business activity. This principle will now apply to her fiancé Durek Verrett as well.
Accordingly, they will not indicate an association with the Royal House of Norway in their social media channels where commercial activity also takes place, in media productions or in connection with other commercial activities, whether through social media tagging, the use of the Princess title or the use of pictures of, or references to, other members of the Royal House. This includes interviews primarily intended to draw attention to commercial activity.
The role of Durek Verrett
When Durek Verrett married Princess Märtha Louise, Mr Verrett became a part of the Royal Family – as did Erling Lorentzen, Johan Martin Ferner and Ari Behn. But in accordance with tradition he holds no title and does not represent the Royal House of Norway.
Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett will attend important family-related gatherings, as well as certain major events that the Royal Family traditionally attends together.
Early life
Princess Märtha Louise and her brother, His Royal Highness Crown Prince Haakon, spent their childhood at Skaugum Estate – the official residence of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess in Asker, near Oslo. Her parents attached great importance to giving their children an upbringing that was as similar as possible to that of other Norwegian children. The Princess attended a municipal day-care centre and a local primary school, and took part in various after school activities. The Princess sung in a choir and played the flute, and she was a member of a folk dancing group. For many years, Princess Märtha Louise was an avid equestrian, and was a member of the national equestrian team for several years.
Princess Märtha Louise's education
Education
Princess Märtha Louise attended Smestad school in Oslo. She completed her upper secondary education at Kristelig Gymnasium in Oslo in 1990, with an emphasis on languages.
That same autumn the Princess moved to England to train at Waterstock House Training Centre and to study literature at the University of Oxford. She later trained at Arena UK to perfect her skills as a show jumper.
In autumn 1992 Princess Märtha Louise began attending Bjørknes Privatskole in Oslo. She subsequently pursued a physiotherapy education programme at Oslo University College. After finishing the programme, she completed her practical training in Maastricht, the Netherlands. In December 1997 she was awarded her formal qualification as a physiotherapist, and in 2000 she qualified as a Rosen practitioner.