The Norwegian princess Märtha Louise and her husband, the American businessman Durek Verrett, are suing several former members of their inner circle for defamation over what they described as a “calculated betrayal of trust”.
Court documents filed in Los Angeles on 14 September claim the former friends and colleagues took “private access once afforded to them and weaponised it”. The accused include “former intimate partners, trusted business associates, a family member”.
The documents allege that information including “confidential communications, disputed accusations and claimed insider knowledge” was used against Märtha Louise, Verrett and his company, Ohana, in what the couple describe as a “coordinated series of devastating public attacks”.
The compensation claims total in excess of $80m, the newspaper VG reported.
The legal action comes during a particularly challenging period for the Norwegian royal family. King Harald died in August aged 89, to be succeeded by his son, Haakon, who is Märtha Louise’s brother. Harald’s sister, Princess Astrid, died aged 94, two days after attending his funeral in September.
Read full article here https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2026/oct/06/norway-princess-martha-louise-husband-durek-verrett-lawsuit-defamation-los-angeles
