A royal scandal from Belgium is currently trending in Norway due to a direct Nordic connection through Princess Märtha Louise's partner, Durek Verrett. Verrett gave a controversial interview to the Belgian magazine Story last year. The Belgian royal at the center of the new claim is Prince Laurent, the brother of King Philippe. According to reports from Story, Prince Laurent allegedly fathered a child with a woman during his marriage. The magazine states that the child's mother has sought a DNA test to confirm paternity, placing Prince Laurent at the heart of a "secret child" scandal.
The Norwegian angle involves Princess Märtha Louise's partner, the self-described shaman Durek Verrett. Verrett gave an interview to the same Belgian magazine, Story, in 2023. In that interview, he defended his relationship with the Norwegian princess, saying, "We have been through a lot of lies and attacks." The connection between Verrett's 2023 interview and the current scandal involving Prince Laurent has fueled the story's popularity in Norway. This links a Norwegian royal figure to a developing controversy within another European monarchy. The story continues to generate discussion and media attention across the Nordic country.