One royal couple is defying their skeptics with unwavering resolve. Princess Märtha Louise of Norway and her husband, Durek Verrett—whose August 2024 wedding was spotlighted in last month’s Netflix documentary *Rebel Royals: An Unlikely Love Story*—have taken a bold stand against allegations that their marriage is a "lavender marriage," a term coined to describe heterosexual unions arranged to mask the queer identity of one or both partners.
In an October 6 Instagram video, the pair initially flashed bewildered expressions as a voice posed the question, “What’s a Lavender Marriage?” With a playful swipe of Märtha Louise’s hand, the screen transitioned to the couple donning matching lavender-hued outfits, while snippets of online comments swirled across the frame. “The real housewife of Norway and her lavender marriage,” one commenter quipped, while another chimed in, “Girl, I don’t know if you know, but you are in a lavender marriage.”
Unfazed, Märtha Louise and Durek shook their heads in unison before the clip pivoted to a heartfelt finale: Durek dipped his wife into a dramatic dance move, their eyes locked in adoration. “Ordinary isn’t our thing,” the onscreen text declared. “We just love.”
To hammer home their message, Durek—a self-identified shaman—captioned the joint post with a witty twist: “Thought it was lavender? Plot twist. It’s just love and legacy.”
Durek, who openly identifies as bisexual, has a history of relationships that defy convention: he was married to Zaneta Marzalkova from 2005 to 2009 and engaged to Hank Greenberg from 2007 to 2015. In the documentary, he revealed how he initially navigated meeting Märtha Louise’s daughters—Maud, 22; Leah, 20; and Emma, 17 (whom she shares with her late husband, Ari Behn)—by embracing a playful ruse. “I’m glad she actually told them I was her gay best friend at first,” he shared. “Those girls have strong personalities, and let me tell you, they would’ve put me through the wringer. But being the ‘cool gay best friend’ eased things. Then, when they realized we were genuinely in love, it softened the transition.”
Despite persistent doubts from social media critics questioning the authenticity of their relationship—which began in 2018—Märtha Louise has been unapologetically vocal about her devotion. “Being married is amazing, especially when you’re married to the love of your life,” she told *Today.com* in a joint September 22 interview. “It’s incredible to be with a man who loves me the way you do.”
In a world quick to judge, this royal couple is rewriting the script—one lavender-tinted dance move at a time.
