Shaman Durek Vurret has broken his silence on social media, to post a message of support for his partner Princess Martha Louise of Norway, following her ex-husband Ari Behn's death. The 45-year-old American wrote on his Instagram account, alongside a picture of a pink waterlily: "Out of deep respect for Martha and Ari's children, I will not comment on the passing of their father, not now nor later, other than to say I am so incredibly sad for their loss." He captioned it with a single black heart emoji to his 152,000 followers.
READ: Princess Martha Louise and Norway's royal family attend Ari Behn's funeral in Oslo
Princess Martha Louise, 47, confirmed her relationship with Shaman Durek in May 2019, nearly three years after her divorce from Ari was finalised. She posted an emotional tribute to her former husband on her own Instagram account after his funeral on Friday, writing: "Dear Ari, we should have been together during Christmas and celebrated. We would have been looking forward to all of us. And we are so infinitely sad and sad for the loss of just you, because you were the girls' warm, funny, wise and good dad that they so dearly miss."
MORE: Norway's Princess Martha Louise's ex-husband has died aged 47
Princess Martha Louise and former husband Ari Behn in 2016
Ari, who shared three daughters with the princess, died by suicide, aged 47, on Christmas Day. The Norwegian playwright and author's funeral took place at Oslo Cathedral and was attended by members of Norway's royal family. Ari and Princess Martha Louise's eldest daughter Maud Angelica, 16, read a heartfelt eulogy at the service before she and her younger sisters Leah Isadora, 14, and Emma Tallulah, 11, placed flowers on their father's casket.
King Harald, Queen Sonja and Crown Princess Mette-Marit were among the mourners, and they were joined by foreign royals, Prince Daniel of Sweden and Princess Laurentien of the Netherlands. Prince Daniel's wife, Crown Princess Victoria, was also due to attend, but unfortunately had to miss the funeral after her daughter Princess Estelle broke her leg in a skiing accident in the Alps.
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