Royal news

Prince Haakon breaks silence on Princess Martha Louise's Netflix documentary, shares royal family's stance


The heir made his first public statements following the documentary's release and the measures the Royal House will be taking in the future.


Prince Haakon breaks silence on Princess Martha Louise's Netflix documentary, shares royal family's stance© Getty Images
Maria LoretoSenior Writer
SEPTEMBER 24, 2025 2:32 PM EDT

The royal house in Norway has scandals coming from all directions. Prince Haakon shared his statements regarding one of the most recent developments that has affected his family: the release of the Netflix documentary "Rebel Royals: An Unlikely Love Story," exploring the romance between his sister, Princess Martha Louise, and Durek Verrett. 

© LISE AASERUD
Prince Haakon is the heir to the Norway throne

Haakon shared his thoughts with the Norwegian media channel NRK, with a journalist asking him if he'd seen the documentary. Haakon revealed that he had. "I think I should refrain from judging it, but unfortunately, I do not think that there is a good enough distinction between the activities of the Royal House and the project and the commercial side of Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett's activities," he said. 

The documentary trails the romance between the Princess and Verrett, with the latter accusing the royal house of racism and of not offering support in the face of the vitriol that Verrett and the princess were exposed to following their marriage. 

© Courtesy of Netflix
Shaman Durek Verret and Princess Martha Louise married in August 2024

One of the biggest points of contention that the documentary has inspired is the fact that Martha-Louise reached an agreement with the royal house in 2022, with her no longer representing the institution so she could marry Verrett. This means that her connections to the house can't be used commercially, something that gets muddled in the documentary.

Following the documentary's release, the royal house shared a statement. "All people should have the right to tell their story. This also applies to Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett. At the same time, the Royal House wants a clearer distinction between the activities of Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett and the Royal House. This will be the topic of the conversations we will have in the future." 

© Netflix
Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett follow Harry and Meghan’s path with polarizing new documentary

The Prince addresses his wife's Mette-Marit's health

Another topic that the Prince recently addressed was the health of his wife, Mette-Marit, who'll be stepping down from her royal duties for the next weeks in order to focus on her treatment for her chronic pulmonary fibrosis. 

"I think it's good and necessary for the princess to receive treatment and for her to stay in the hospital for her rehabilitation," said the Prince to NRK, according to a translation from our sister website ¡Hola! Spain. "It's something that we should keep in mind in our daily lives."

© Getty Images
The princess is focusing on her recovery

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