Who was Princess Martha Louise’s first husband? All about author Ari Behn amid documentary release

Princess Martha Louise of Norway and her husband Durek Verrett released their Netflix documentary Royal Rebels: An Unlikely Love Story on September 16. It documents Martha Louise’s romantic journey with her second husband, who is an American alternative therapist and self-proclaimed shaman.

The new docuseries is full of revelations, including how Durek Verrett, 50, acted as a “rock” after Martha Louise’s first husband, Ari Behn, died by suicide in December 2019. While Behn and the Norwegian princess were already divorced at the time, she mentioned Verrett helped her cope with the loss, be there for her children, and was her source of strength.

Ari Behn was a Danish-born Norwegian author, playwright, critic, and visual artist who was married to Princess Martha Louise from 2002 to 2007 and shared three daughters with her: Maud, Leah, and Emma. He died on Christmas Day in 2019, aged 47.

“With Ari being gone, I wanted to always be there for the kids and see them because they are three completely different girls. It was like we found this way of being together and getting through all our emotions, and for me, Durek was like really, really the rock,” Martha shared in the documentary.

She added, “I needed my rock, I needed the person who could be there for me. And I could just talk to him about anything, because dealing with sorrow 24/7 is really, really heavy.”

Meanwhile, Princess Martha Louise, 53, explained that she introduced Durek to her three daughters as her “friend,” and they initially thought he was “gay,” although they loved his “personality.”

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All you need to know about Princess Martha Louise’s first husband, Ari Behn

According to The Hollywood Reporter, Ari Behn was born Ari Mikael Bjorshol in Aarhus, Denmark, in September 1972. He spent his early years in Plymouth, England, and later settled in Norway. Behn studied history and religion at the University of Oslo.

He rose to fame in 1999 with his short story collection, Trist som faen (“Sad as hell”) and the 2006 book Bakgard ("Backyard"). Before that, he co-founded the artist collective “Den Nye Vinen” or “The New Wine.” Later, the author and playwright wrote four novels, two short story collections, one play, and his wedding book.

Later, in 2013, Ari Behn turned into a visual artist and painted in the neoexpressionist tradition inspired by the works of Jean-Michel Basquiat. His artwork earned global acclaim in 2017-18. He was also a creative designer for a China set named “Peacock” and an apparel model.

Ari Behn also made television documentaries, wrote for newspapers and magazines, hosted award shows, and acted in comedy films.

He met Princess Martha Louise through his mother, who was the royal family member’s physiotherapy tutor. They walked down the aisle in May 2002. However, he remained a private citizen in Norway and held no special status, royal title, or position. They shared daughters, Maud Angelica Behn, born 2003, Leah Isadora Behn, born 2005, and Emma Tallulah Behn, born 2008.

The family lived briefly in the United Kingdom and New York City, USA, before moving back to Norway’s Lommedalen, a valley outside of Oslo. In August 2016, the pair’s divorce proceedings were announced, and it was finalized in 2017.

Until his death, Ari Behn shared the custody of his three children with Princess Martha Louise. The artist died by suicide at his home on December 25, 2019, after struggling with alcoholism and mental health issues, his spokesperson Geir Hakonsund told Norwegian outlet NTB.

"It's with great sorrow in our hearts that we, those closest to Ari Behn, must report that he took his own life today," the statement read.

In the wake of Behn’s death, Norway’s King Harald and Queen Sonja shared a public statement, which read that their former son-in-law was "an important part of our family for many years and we carry warm and good memories of him with us".

"We are grateful that we got to know him. We grieve that our grandchildren have now lost their beloved father," the royal couple added.

In December 2017, Princess Martha Louise’s late ex-husband made headlines after claiming during a Norwegian radio interview that American actor Kevin Spacey groped him at a nightclub during the afterparty of the 2007 Nobel Peace Prize concert. He never reportedly took legal action against the House of Cards actor.

Ari Behn often attracted controversy and was filmed partying with prostitutes in Las Vegas and attending drug-laden parties, according to the BBC.

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Princess Martha Louise married her second husband, Durek Verrett, in September 2024. They do not have any children.