Against All Odds, Netflix’s ‘Rebel Royals’ Celebrates Love Without Rules

In a world where crowns are meant to gleam under tradition’s weight, Princess Märtha Louise of Norway and Shaman Durek Verrett chose something far more radical: love, unfiltered and unapologetic.

Netflix’s new documentary, Rebel Royals: An Unlikely Love Story, pulls us into the quiet, tender spaces behind the headlines. Directed by Emmy-nominated Rebecca Chaiklin (Tiger King) and produced by Emmy-winning Chris Smith(FYRE, Wham!), the film unfolds with intimacy, following Märtha and Durek as they journey toward their 2024 wedding. The union became both a royal milestone and a cultural statement.

This is not the story of palaces and pomp alone. It is about two souls bridging worlds: a princess raised under the weight of monarchy and a healer from Hollywood whose life is built on spiritual transformation. Together, they dared to carve a path where tradition bends to authenticity.

The documentary captures it all: the laughter of shared rituals, the storm of public scrutiny, and the sacred beauty of a wedding witnessed by family, country, and the world. Märtha Louise, long admired for her independence, reflects on stepping outside the roles expected of her. Durek, unflinching and charismatic, faces the complexity of being the first Black man to marry into a European royal family.

At its core, Rebel Royals is about love that refuses to apologize. Love that dares to be seen, to be questioned, and to still rise stronger.

In choosing each other, Märtha Louise and Durek Verrett remind us of something timeless: that love, when it is true, will always find its way, even beyond palace walls.

Rebel Royals: An Unlikely Love Story premieres globally on Netflix September 16.