About eight months ago, Princess Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett said “I do” in a lavish celebration. A joyous occasion, but one overshadowed by the princess’s reportedly reluctant payment behavior. Now, it seems the royal has finally complied – albeit partially.
The extravagant festivities have left a bitter aftertaste for many involved. Princess Märtha Louise, 53, and Durek Verrett, 50, had hoped that people would continue to rave about their dream wedding for a long time. However, serious accusations from service providers soon replaced the fairy-tale memories in the public eye. The daughter of King Harald, 88, allegedly failed to pay some invoices. A debt collection procedure was reportedly initiated. Pressure that worked? According to Se og Hør, the reluctant bride has finally responded – though not without raising new questions.
Princess Märtha Louise Tarnishes Joyful Memories
It was the wedding of the year. Märtha Louise and Durek sealed their controversial love story with family and friends at the picturesque Geirangerfjord. The press was present as the couple was joyfully welcomed by their guests, along with many local businesses who helped make the day perfect with their services. But the honor of contributing to the royal couple’s unforgettable celebration soon gave way to frustration among some vendors.
Invoices in some cases (initially) allegedly went unpaid. One company, which provided sound equipment and staff over the four-day festivities, was left out of pocket for around 700,000 Norwegian kroner (NOK) – approximately 59,100 euros – according to research by Se og Hør. After several apparently fruitless conversations with the princess’s manager, Carina Scheele Carlsen, the invoice was handed over to a debt collection agency.
But that wasn’t all. Another local business, which wished to remain anonymous in the newspaper’s interview, feared for its very survival due to the bridal couple’s unpaid bills. In this case as well, the invoice reportedly ended up at the debt collection office.
Farm Owner Receives Partial Payment
The royal’s restrained payment behavior also severely affected Jon Erlend Vinje, 38. He owns the farm and land where Märtha Louise and Durek had set up a white tent to shield their wedding celebration from the press. Vinje coordinated extensive preparations, set up the grounds, and handled the cleanup after the big party.
“Unfortunately, we were not paid for all the work we did as part of the wedding celebrations, and I can confirm that several unpaid invoices were forwarded to a debt collection agency,” the farm owner said in an interview a few weeks ago. According to research, his total bill for rental, equipment, and labor exceeded 150,000 NOK (around 12,900 euros). By February 2025, about one-third of the amount – around 50,000 NOK (roughly 4,300 euros) – was still outstanding. A situation that clearly made Vinje uncomfortable. “I don’t want to go into details,” he said at the time. “It’s essentially a matter between the client and us.” Yet the disappointment ran deep. “It’s sad to have to expend energy on the aftermath of what should have been a beautiful memory.”
Now, however, there has been a turnaround. Vinje has apparently received his money. “I can confirm that,” he said when asked. Shortly before Easter, he reportedly reached a formal agreement with Princess Märtha Louise, mediated by the debt collection agency. According to Se og Hør, the princess agreed to pay half of the outstanding amount, about 25,000 NOK (around 2,100 euros). With this concession, she narrowly avoided further debt recovery and legal consequences.
“I’m Not Happy About It”
As of mid-February, Carina Scheele Carlsen had claimed she was unaware of the three cases that had reached the debt collection agency. In an interview with TV 2, Märtha Louise’s spokeswoman said, “To date, we have not received a registered collection case from the supplier who spoke with Se og Hør. The supplier received their agreed payment in the fall of 2024, even though some amounts were not part of the original agreement.” A statement that confused Vinje: “The collection request was sent, so they need to sort it out,” he said, shaking his head.
He is now simply relieved that everything is over. “There was so much back and forth about the unpaid invoice that I eventually couldn’t bear the fight any longer. If it had been up to me, I would have had to travel from Geiranger to the conciliation board in Vestby, eastern Norway, and that would have been too much for such a small amount,” he said. “So I just accepted the amount. Now it’s settled, and it’s good to have it behind me.”
What Vinje once saw as an honorable task has turned into a bitter experience. Nonetheless, the 38-year-old is trying to put his dealings with Märtha Louise behind him. “I’m not happy that she only paid half, but it’s done now. I never expected there would be such serious consequences after the wedding celebration.” Yet the disappointment lingers. “I must admit that I have rather mixed feelings and memories of that weekend. I have to be honest about that.”
Meanwhile, the royal has communicated through her press representative to TV 2: “We are pleased that the case could finally be resolved after escalation to a neutral third party. It helped us to finally get answers from the supplier, our objections were heard, and we then found reasons to close the case on our side.”
