A Norwegian princess marries an American self-styled shaman in front of a star-studded audience

HELSINKI (AP) — Social media influencers, reality stars and TV personalities were among the guests as the Norwegian king’s eldest child, Princess Märtha Louise, married an American self-professed shaman on Saturday in a wedding ceremony following three days of festivities.

The 52-year-old Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett, who claims to be a sixth-generation shaman from California, tied the knot in the picturesque small town of Geiranger, one of Norway’s major tourist attractions located on a fjord with stunning views.

Following festivities that started on Thursday, the actual wedding ceremony took place in a large white tent set up on a lush lawn. Guests told media outlets that Norwegian and U.S. artists performed at the event along with a gospel choir and a singer representing Norway’s indigenous Sámi people.

“It was fantastic! It was Hollywood meets Geiranger,” Norwegian TV personality Harald Rønneberg described the colorful ceremony to public broadcaster NRK. “It was gospel and love. We laughed, we clapped, and we were touched. It was absolutely beautiful.”

The couple has sold the wedding photo rights to British celebrity magazine Hello! and the film rights to Netflix. The deals prompted protests from Norwegian media, which say the arrangement goes against local practices. The couple have often lashed out against the press while promoting themselves on social media.

The 87-year-old King Harald, who has been in fragile health the past few years, attended his daughter’s wedding together with Queen Sonja and other member of the Norwegian royal house. Crown Princess Victoria and her husband Prince Daniel represented the Swedish royal house together with her brother, Prince Carl Philip, and his wife Princess Sofia. No other European royals attended the wedding.

The wedding comes amid widespread criticism of the couple’s actions and waning support for the Norwegian royals, who have also been plagued by negative reports about an unruly family member who faces preliminary domestic violence charges.

Märtha Louise and Verrett, 49, have attracted headlines with their alternative beliefs. She is fourth in line to the Norwegian throne but said in 2022 that she’ll no longer officially represent the Norwegian royal house.

The princess — she has retained the title — has said she can talk with angels, while Verrett claims that he communicates with a broad range of spirits and has a medallion which helps ward off spells and cure diseases.

They became engaged in 2022. Following their marriage, Verrett will not have a royal title or official duties.

In a 2019 deal, Märtha Louise and Verrett agreed not to use her connection to the royal house or her title for commercial purposes.

But earlier this year Märtha Louise labeled bottles of gin with her title and launched the brand in time for the wedding, defying King Harald’s directive that she should not profit from her royal status. The label was eventually changed.

Märtha Louise has three children from her previous marriage with author and playwright Ari Behn, whom she divorced in 2017 after 14 years of marriage.

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Associated Press journalists Stefanie Dazio in Berlin and Jan M. Olsen in Copenhagen, Denmark contributed to this report.

Norway's Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett arrive for their wedding party, in Geiranger, Norway, Saturday Aug. 31, 2024. (Heiko Junge/NTB via AP)

Norway's Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett arrive for their wedding party, in Geiranger, Norway, Saturday Aug. 31, 2024. (Cornelius Poppe/NTB via AP)

Norway's Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett arrive for their wedding party, in Geiranger, Norway, Saturday Aug. 31, 2024. (Cornelius Poppe/NTB via AP)

Norway's Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett arrive for their wedding party, in Geiranger, Norway, Saturday Aug. 31, 2024. (Heiko Junge/NTB via AP)

Norway's Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett arrive for their wedding party, in Geiranger, Norway, Saturday Aug. 31, 2024. (Heiko Junge/NTB via AP)

Norway's Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett arrive for their wedding party, in Geiranger, Norway, Saturday Aug. 31, 2024. (Heiko Junge/NTB via AP)

Norway's Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett arrive for their wedding party, in Geiranger, Norway, Saturday Aug. 31, 2024. (Heiko Junge/NTB via AP)

Norway's Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett arrive for their wedding party, in Geiranger, Norway, Saturday Aug. 31, 2024. (Heiko Junge/NTB via AP)

Norway's Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett arrive for their wedding party, in Geiranger, Norway, Saturday Aug. 31, 2024. (Heiko Junge/NTB via AP)

Sweden's Princess Sofia attends the wedding of Norway's Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett, in Geiranger, Norway, Saturday Aug. 31, 2024. (Heiko Junge/NTB via AP)

The daughters of Norway's Princess Martha Louise, Maud Angelica Behn, Emma Tallulah Behn and Leah Isadora Behn, in Geiranger, Norway, Saturday Aug. 31, 2024, during the wedding of Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett. (Cornelius Poppe/NTB via AP)

From right, Norway's Crown Prince Haakon, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, Prince Sverre Magnus and Amalie Givaer MacLeod attend the wedding of Norway's Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett, in Geiranger, Norway, Saturday Aug. 31, 2024. (Cornelius Poppe/NTB via AP)

Queen Sonja of Norway attends the wedding of Norway's Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett, in Geiranger, Norway, Saturday Aug. 31, 2024. (Cornelius Poppe/NTB via AP)

Margie Plus and Harald Austad attend the wedding of Norway's Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett, in Geiranger, Norway, Saturday Aug. 31, 2024. (Cornelius Poppe/NTB via AP)

Sweden's Crown Princess Victoria and Prince Daniel of Sweden attend the wedding of Norway's Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett, in Geiranger, Norway, Saturday Aug. 31, 2024. (Cornelius Poppe/NTB via AP)

Norway's Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verret arrive at the boats in Alesund, Norway, Friday Aug. 30, 2024. that will transport them to Geiranger for their wedding celebration on Saturday. (Heiko Junge/NTB via AP)

Norway's Crown Prince Haakon, 3rd right, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, center left waving, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, left, Prince Sverre Magnus, 2nd left, and Amalie Giaever MacLeod travel to Geiranger, Norway, Friday Aug. 30, 2024, ahead of the wedding celebration of Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verret on Saturday. (Cornelius Poppe/NTB via AP)

Norway's Princess Martha Louise, front, and Durek Verret, second, and guests arrive from Alesund to Geiranger, Norway, Friday Aug. 30, 2024, ahead of their wedding celebration on Saturday. (Cornelius Poppe/NTB via AP)

Norway's Princess Martha Louise, center, and Durek Verret, rear center, and guests arrive from Alesund to Geiranger, Norway, Friday Aug. 30, 2024, ahead of their wedding celebration on Saturday. (Cornelius Poppe/NTB via AP)

Norway's Crown Prince Haakon, 2nd right, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, center left, Princess Ingrid Alexandra, center right, Prince Sverre Magnus, 3rd right, and Amalie Giaever MacLeod arrive in Geiranger, Norway, Friday Aug. 30, 2024, ahead of the wedding celebration of Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verret on Saturday. (Cornelius Poppe/NTB via AP)

Guests are transported by boat from Alesund to Geiranger, Norway, Friday Aug. 30, 2024, for the wedding celebration of Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verret on Saturday. (Heiko Junge/NTB via AP)

One of the boats transports guests from Alesund to wedding celebrations in Geiranger, Norway, Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, before the wedding ceremony of Princess Märtha Louise and Derek Verrett on Saturday. (Heiko Junge/NTB Scanpix via AP)

Daughters of Norway's Princess Martha Louise, Leah Isadora Behn and Emma Tallulah arrive in Geiranger, Norway, Friday Aug. 30, 2024, for the wedding celebration of Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verret on Saturday. (Heiko Junge/NTB via AP)

Norway's King Harald arrives for a theme party at Hotel Union in Geiranger, Norway, Friday evening, Aug. 30, 2024, the evening before the wedding ceremony of Princess Märtha Louise and Derek Verrett. (Cornelius Poppe/NTB Scanpix via AP)

Norway's Princess Ingrid Alexandra, Prince Sverre Magnus and Amalie Giæver MacLeod walk on their way to a theme party at Hotel Union in Geiranger, Norway, on Friday, Aug. 30, 2024, the evening before the wedding ceremony of Princess Märtha Louise and Derek Verrett. (Cornelius Poppe/NTB Scanpix via AP)

Guests attend the wedding of Norway's Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett, in Geiranger, Norway, Saturday Aug. 31, 2024. (Cornelius Poppe/NTB via AP)

The daughters of Norway's Princess Martha Louise, Maud Angelica Behn, Emma Tallulah Behn and Leah Isadora Behn, in Geiranger, Norway, Saturday Aug. 31, 2024, during the wedding of Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett. (Cornelius Poppe/NTB via AP)

Bridesmaids attend the wedding of Norway's Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett, in Geiranger, Norway, Saturday Aug. 31, 2024. (Cornelius Poppe/NTB via AP)

Norway's Crown Prince Haakon and Crown Princess Mette-Marit attend the wedding of Norway's Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett, in Geiranger, Norway, Saturday Aug. 31, 2024. (Cornelius Poppe/NTB via AP)

Norway's King Harald, Queen Sonja, front, Crown Prince Haakon, rear center left, Crown Princess Mette-Marit, rear center right, Princess Ingrid Alexandra and Prince Sverre Magnus aboard the Kingship Norway in the Geirangerfjord, Norway, Saturday Aug. 31, 2024, ahead of the wedding of Norway's Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett. (Cornelius Poppe/NTB via AP)

Norway's Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verret and guests arrive from Alesund to Geiranger, Norway, Friday Aug. 30, 2024, ahead of their wedding celebration on Saturday. (Cornelius Poppe/NTB via AP)

TEHRAN, Iran (AP) — Iran launched a satellite into space Saturday with a rocket built by the country's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, state-run media reported, the latest for a program the West fears helps Tehran advance its ballistic missile program.

Iran described the launch as a success, which would be the second such launch to put a satellite into orbit with the rocket. There was no immediate independent confirmation of the launch’s success.

Footage later released by Iranian media showed the rocket blast off from a mobile launcher. An Associated Press analysis of the video and other imagery later released suggested the launch happened at the Guard’s launch pad on the outskirts of the city of Shahroud, some 350 kilometers (215 miles) east of the capital, Tehran.

The launch comes amid heightened tensions gripping the wider Middle East over the ongoing Israel-Hamas war in the Gaza Strip, during which Tehran launched an unprecedented direct missile-and-drone attack on Israel. Meanwhile, Iran continues to enrich uranium to nearly weapons-grade levels, raising concerns among nonproliferation experts about Tehran's program.

Iran identified the satellite-carrying rocket as the Qaem-100, which the Guard used in January for another successful launch. Qaem means “upright” in Iran's Farsi language.

The solid-fuel, three-stage rocket put the Chamran-1 satellite, weighing 60 kilograms (132 pounds), into a 550-kilometer (340-mile) orbit, state media reported. The rocket bore a Quranic verse: "That which is left by Allah is better for you, if you are believers.”

A state-owned subsidiary of Iran's Defense Ministry and experts at the Aerospace Research Institute built the satellite with others to “test hardware and software systems for orbital maneuver technology validation,” state media said, without elaborating.

Gen. Hossein Salami, the head of the Guard, praised the launch in a statement and said scientists successfully overcame “the atmosphere of extensive and oppressive international sanctions."

The U.S. State Department and the American military did not immediately respond to requests for comment over the Iranian launch.

The United States had previously said Iran’s satellite launches defy a U.N. Security Council resolution and called on Tehran to undertake no activity involving ballistic missiles capable of delivering nuclear weapons. U.N. sanctions related to Iran’s ballistic missile program expired last October.

Under Iran’s relatively moderate former President Hassan Rouhani, the Islamic Republic slowed its space program for fear of raising tensions with the West. Hard-line President Ebrahim Raisi, a protege of Supreme Leader Ayatollah Ali Khamenei who came to power in 2021, has pushed the program forward. Raisi died in a helicopter crash in May.

It's unclear what Iran's new president, the reformist Masoud Pezeshkian, wants for the program as he was silent on the issue while campaigning.

The U.S. intelligence community’s worldwide threat assessment this year said Iran's development of satellite launch vehicles “would shorten the timeline” for Iran to develop an intercontinental ballistic missile because it uses similar technology.

Intercontinental ballistic missiles can be used to deliver nuclear weapons. Iran is now producing uranium close to weapons-grade levels after the collapse of its nuclear deal with world powers. Tehran has enough enriched uranium for “several” nuclear weapons, if it chooses to produce them, the head of the International Atomic Energy Agency repeatedly has warned.

Iran has always denied seeking nuclear weapons and says its space program, like its nuclear activities, is for purely civilian purposes. However, U.S. intelligence agencies and the IAEA say Iran had an organized military nuclear program up until 2003.

The launch also came ahead of the second anniversary of the death of 22-year-old Mahsa Amini, which sparked nationwide protests against Iran's mandatory headscarf, or hijab, law and the country's Shiite theocracy.

Gambrell reported from Dubai, United Arab Emirates.

This undated photo provided by Iranian Space Agency, ISA, shows Chamran-1 satellite. Iran launched the satellite into space Saturday, Sept. 14, 2024, with a rocket built by the country's paramilitary Revolutionary Guard, state-run media reported, the latest for a program the West fears helps Tehran advance its ballistic missile program. (ISA via AP)