A few months ago, we discussed Norway’s Princess Martha, and how she fell in love with a sixth-generation American shaman. It was sort of a wacky story. Princess Martha is not the crown princess or anything, but she is (from my understanding) a well-known royal, and perhaps even a “major royal” in the Norwegian royal family. I think the Windsor equivalent would be…Princess Anne. That’s basically Martha Louise’s position. And what would happen if Princess Anne fell in love with an American Shaman? People would have a lot to say, of course. Apparently, it’s no different in Norway. It seems like the Royal household went to Martha Louise and told her: “you can stay with your shaman but we’re not letting you use your royal title to sell your snake oil.” Which… I understand?
Princess Märtha Louise of Norway is making a big change when it comes to her official royal title. The royal has agreed to stop using the title of “Princess” in her business activities, the Norwegian Royal Household announced on Wednesday.
The 47-year-old royal, whose parents are King Harald V and Queen Sonja, shared the decision on Instagram, writing: “There have been many discussions about my use of title in a commercial context lately. The fact that I used Princess in the title of my tour, I have said before that I am very sorry, and I still stand by that. It was a mistake and I understand that it provokes when the princess title is used this way. The discussions are something I have taken seriously, and in collaboration with my family we have found that it is best that we make some changes.
“We have therefore jointly come to the conclusion that I use the title princess when I represent the Royal House, do my official assignments at home and abroad and in private contexts. From now on I will not use my princess title in a commercial context. That is, in all commercial contexts, I only use Märtha Louise. I find this to be a good solution where there is a clear distinction between my business activities and my role as representative of the Royal House, and that I have thus created room for greater freedom in my business activities.”
Well, it’s not as bad as it could be. And truly, I think most or all royal houses would take issue with a “blood princess” attaching her name AND title to commercial ventures, especially if those commercial ventures are so shady in nature, like a speaking tour with a shaman in which people pay gobs of money to have expensive feelings. So now when she’s on speaking tours with her shaman or writing books with him or whatever, she’ll just be Martha Louise, not Princess Martha. Okay. (I wonder if they’ll eventually kick her out of the family though?)
Photos courtesy of Instagram.
Norway has a clear distinction between Royal House (Monarch, Consort, Heir/ess + consort and the Heir/ess’s Heir/ess) and Royal Family (Royal House + the rest of them who didn’t make the cut).
The Royal House: The King, The Queen, The Crown Prince, The Crown Princess, HRH Princess Ingrid Alexandra.
The Royal Family: HH Princes Martha Louise and her daughters (untitled), HH Prince Sverre Magnus (The Crown Prince and Princess’ son) and the King’s sister (notice neither are HRH but HH instead)
Martha Louise has always been a bit cooky. She had a school for angels, she’s very spiritual, etc. It seems she’s taking it further than the government and the King feel comfortable with. Dropping the HH Princess style and title is smart. However, her funding and activities will still be scrutinized.
That was interesting, thank you.
I just find it funny that she would ever think it was a good idea in the first place. It puts a sort of royal sign off on whatever she’s promoting. It just seems like common sense to not use that in money making ventures.
The King already stripped her of her HRH and “downgraded” her style to HH when abroad and reduced her activities as a royal. This is because she’s always used her position in her business ventures and someone had to tell her to STOP doing so as it comes across as the Royal House approving what she endorses. If she wants freedom to do whatever she wants and sell angel charts, childrens books or a shaman tour, she should consider becoming a private citizen and removing herself from the Royal Family as she uses her public platform to make private money.
The king didn’t strip her of her HRH as a result of this. They agreed years ago, I think even before she married, that she would become Her Highness as she went out into the world to make a living. That’s part of why Sverre Magnus was HH from the start, because they’d established the precedent with Martha-Louise two decades ago.
She is in essence a private citizen with a title, along the lines of Madeleine of Sweden, Beatrice and Eugenie of York. Show up for the rare royal event and some charity work as a personal choice, but isn’t on the permanent royal dole and is expected to make their own way in the world.
duplicate
That’s what I meant. It happened years ago. He removed the Royal from her style and she can use HH when abroad. Now it seems they are only allowing her to use her title when representing the Royal Family only.
The Crown Princess’s oldest son Marius is not considered part of the Royal Family? I’ve always been curious about that. I understand him not being included in Royal Family duties but he’s still a member of the family and (I’m guessing) accepted by Crown Prince Haakon. Otherwise, why would he have married a single mother?
He’s not a member of either house as he’s not a Glucksburg. However, he is much accepted and included in everything except very official outings. He’s been in the Family’s Christmas cards, posed with the King and Queen, etc. As he’s grown he has withdrawn a bit but I’m sure this was done to ensure he has a private life and able to live a normal life with an IG account.
Marius is not the Crown Prince biological be son.
He’s part of the private family that happens to contain royals, not part of the public-facing Royal Family. Same as Zara, Peter, Louise, James, Archie, and loads of other royal descendants. They’re members of the private family, not part of the taxpayer-funded Royal Family/TheFirm.
Do people in Norway care about their royal family?
I believe they are pretty popular. From what I understand the king and queen Sonja are a very loving couple and quite beloved by the people in Norway.
Not as much as people care about the royal family in the UK!
We love the king and queen cause they’re old and down to earth, but in general all we talk about is how much money the royal family spends on just being people born into titles they didn’t work for and earn. LOL
Interesting. The Norwegian royal family is different from other modern European RFs in that Norwegians chose to have a King in the early 20th century after gaining independence from Denmark and Sweden, at different times. In fact, they ended up importing the King from Denmark. The King is probably hyper-aware of public perception and answers accordingly.
On a superficial note, the shaman is quite striking.
He can cleanse my chakras.
You think so? I mean, he’s handsome but I feel like he has a bit of psychopathy behind those eyes. Can’t put my finger on it but I just can’t seem to trust him. It’s something about the eyes… idk
I agree. He seems like such a phony.
Well, thinking back on my history with men that tracks.
Maybe the bunny ears are throwing you off?
Agree. Something is off.
He’s very pretty- especially in the home page thumbnail photo, but he strikes me as a conman.
So she has more integrity than Fergie and her daughters and all the hangers on in the British Royal Family who absolutely milk existing and former titles
No, this is a case of her hand being forced. She’s seen her duties and style reduced for some years now. It’s more about the King being responsible about the image of his House.
Well, I guess she’ll learn now if the relationship is real. I am betting that the shaman found her title attractive… for his business ventures, and now that he can’t use it, she isn’t useful to him anymore.
I guess the shaman dude will withdraw from her life now – the title was sure useful when it came to his business, some Martha woman is not the same. It just seems like she fell for a conman