She's a Norwegian princess. He's a self-proclaimed California shaman. Their wedding is this weekend.

Jan M. Olsen and Stephanie Dazio | The Associated Press

COPENHAGEN, Denmark — The King of Norway's eldest daughter, Princess Märtha Louise, will marry American self-proclaimed shaman Durek Verrett on Saturday in a picturesque corner of southern Norway.

The wedding comes amid widespread criticism of the couple's behavior and waning support for the Scandinavian royal family, which has been dogged by negative press coverage about an unruly family member facing preliminary charges of domestic violence.

Martha Louise, 52, and Verret, a self-described sixth-generation shaman from California, have attracted attention for their unique religious beliefs. Verret is fourth in line to the Norwegian throne, but announced he will step down as an official representative of the Norwegian royal family in 2022 to work more closely with his American fiancé.

The princess says she can speak to angels (who hold the throne), while Mr Verret, 49, claims to be able to communicate with various spirits and has a medallion that can help ward off curses and cure illnesses.

The couple became engaged in 2022. After their marriage, Princess Verret will no longer hold royal titles or hold official duties.

In a 2019 contract, Martha Louise and Verret agreed not to exploit her royal ties or title for commercial purposes.

But earlier this year, Martha Louise defied King Harald V's instructions not to profit from her royal status and instead labelled the gin bottles with her title, launching the brand in time for her wedding. The label was eventually changed.

The couple also sold the rights to their wedding photos to a British celebrity magazine and the film rights to Netflix, deals that sparked an outcry in Norwegian media, who claimed it went against local customs. The couple have often lashed out at the press when promoting themselves on social media.

Meanwhile, Marius Borg Høiby, the eldest son of Norway's Crown Princess Mette-Marit and son-in-law of Crown Prince Haakon, is suspected of assault and damage to property. He has admitted to being intoxicated and using cocaine when he was briefly arrested in Oslo on August 6. Borg Høiby, who is Crown Princess Mette-Marit's son from a previous relationship, does not hold a royal title or hold any official duties.

Haakon called it a “serious problem.”

This scandal and the upcoming royal wedding have caused a significant decline in support for the Norwegian monarchy. King Harald has remained silent on these issues.

Norwegian political parties known for their anti-monarchy stance have used the recent scandal to push proposals to amend the constitution and abolish the monarchy.

“These cases show some of the fundamental challenges of the royal family,” Andreas Schalg Uneland, a lawmaker with the left-leaning Socialist Left party, told The Associated Press about the royal wedding and the Borg Høiby affair.

“Should we wait until there is a major scandal to abolish the monarchy or can we give it a dignified end?” she asked, adding that people should hold a referendum on the issue.