Shaman Durek Verrett has emerged as a fascinating and divisive character. In addition to financial interest, the public’s fascination with his projected net worth—which is usually estimated at $23 million—reflects a larger cultural discussion about contemporary spirituality, race, and celebrity relationships. The $23 million amount itself seems to have less to do with financial openness and more to do with his wife’s wealth, Princess Märtha Louise of Norway, whose personal riches and inheritance have long been the focus of tabloid attention.
From the start, this pairing—between a European monarch and a self-styled spiritual guru from California—was an oddity that made headlines on all continents. In addition to passion, their love story—which was just re-examined in the Netflix documentary Rebel Royals: An Unlikely Love Story—is framed by fortitude in the face of public and media criticism. Durek was a shock to European royal convention as a bisexual Black man entering a traditionally white and traditional monarchy.
Shaman Durek – Personal and Financial Overview
| Attribute | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Durek Verrett (formerly Derek David Verrett) |
| Date of Birth | November 17, 1974 |
| Age (2025) | 50 |
| Birthplace | Sacramento, California |
| Profession | Spiritual guide, author, wellness entrepreneur |
| Notable Work | Spirit Hacking (2019) |
| Marital Status | Married to Princess Märtha Louise of Norway |
| Stepchildren | Maud Angelica Behn, Leah Isadora Behn, Emma Tallulah Behn |
| Public Net Worth Estimate | $23 million (unverified, mostly attributed to royal association) |
| Celebrity Clients | Gwyneth Paltrow, Nina Dobrev, Selma Blair, Rosario Dawson |
| Residence | Los Angeles, California |
| Reference |
He was portrayed as a scammer rather than a spiritualist by the Norwegian press, which was occasionally remarkably cruel. During his courting of the princess, Durek encountered prejudice and homophobia, which he has remembered with emotional sincerity. He frequently characterizes himself as a man who is opposed to the status quo because of what he stands for rather than what he does.
It is especially challenging to separate Durek’s personal wealth from the couple’s joint assets from a financial standpoint. There is no official record proving Durek independently owns comparable riches, despite royal sources claiming the princess’s personal worth is approximately £17 million (almost $23 million). However, reports from publications like Distractify and the Daily Express frequently use that figure without making a distinction between individual and marital assets.
Prior to his royal affiliation, Durek was well-known in affluent Hollywood circles. Among the actors he served as a spiritual counselor for were Gwyneth Paltrow, who accepted him into her Goop realm, Rosario Dawson, and Nina Dobrev. Although not without criticism, this relationship gave his shamanic brand more commercial validity. His 2019 book Spirit Hacking was largely centered on metaphysical issues; some critics commended its spiritual insights, while others questioned whether his counsel had any medical ramifications.
Durek has increased his public profile in recent years by offering courses that promise spiritual enlightenment and selling healing medallions, which he eventually took down after facing legal scrutiny. According to reports, he provided everything from pricey in-person consultations to online courses. Even if they might have brought in a sizable sum of money, there aren’t many documents that document their scope or influence. Supporters saw these services as a highly successful spiritual model for human development, while some detractors saw them as pseudoscientific.
Durek’s trip also gains emotional weight from his personal history. He experienced a potentially fatal health crisis at the age of 27, which was purportedly brought on by substance misuse and high blood pressure. He later asserted that he had “flatlined” and returned with messages from the other side that were spiritual in nature. His defining rite of passage—an initiation that forced him to completely embrace his identity as a shaman—was this encounter, which is detailed in the Netflix documentary.
After he recovered, he refocused his life in Los Angeles, where his health clinic started to take shape, and legally changed his name from Derek to Durek. After a while, he adopted neoshamanism, which combined energy work from the past with contemporary practices. Even if empirical proof is still elusive, he has resonated with those who are looking for inner calm and emotional clarity, particularly among followers who have lost faith in traditional religious or therapeutic systems.
There is an increasing tendency of spirituality and popularity overlapping, especially when it is monetized. People like Shaman Durek serve as examples of the growing commercialization of personal healing. Similar to Deepak Chopra’s lifestyle empire or The Goop Lab, Durek has established himself as a businessman and a healer. His work balances commercial success with personal revelation, a mix that continues to inspire both suspicion and support.
The death of Princess Märtha Louise’s ex-husband, Ari Behn, who committed suicide in 2019, heightened public interest in him. The princess acknowledges that Durek was her “rock” during that trying time, helping to sustain her and her daughters. His position as stepfather, or “bonus dad,” as he refers to it, strengthened his emotional resonance and familial bonds in the royal setting.
The couple made a calculated decision by deciding to tell their experience in a documentary since it gives them narrative control. This is an attempt to normalize their love and encourage others to “live their truth, unapologetically,” according to Durek. In the current cultural context, when authenticity is becoming more and more important in both public storytelling and personal branding, such language strikes a particularly powerful chord.
Such transparency also increases visibility from an economic perspective. Book sales, speaking engagements, media deals, and sponsorship opportunities all follow from more visibility. These have substantial financial ramifications, even though some of them are speculative. Prominent documentaries frequently result in downstream revenue streams such as endorsement agreements, worldwide seminars, and podcast features. It’s unclear if these profits will amount to seven figures, but they certainly indicate a very effective monetization of public interest.
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