Netflix edits royal programme after complaint from palace

A new documentary about the daughter of King Harald of Norway has undergone a last minute change after the royal palace got in touch with Netflix.

The programme, Rebel Royals: An Unlikely Love Story, follows the romance and wedding of Princess Martha Louise and Durek Verrett.

Ahead of their marriage, in August 2024, the Norwegian royal family said they wouldn’t take part in any exclusive filming or photography around the celebrations. This followed an outcry when it was revealed that the couple had sold exclusive rights to the magazine, Hello!

However, advance copies of the show, which streams from September 16, included clips of the heir to the throne, Crown Prince Haakon, talking to Durek Verrett at one of the wedding festivities. The Norwegian royal palace confirmed to one of the country’s broadcasters, NRK, that it had asked for that part to be removed and Netflix had immediately agreed.

It didn’t appear in the version of the show that went live on Netflix.

It’s also bee reported that the programme has led to plans for further discussions around how Martha Loise, only daughter of King Harald and Queen Sonja of Norway, uses her title in the future. At the moment, she isn’t meant to use it in any commercial context.

King Harald and Queen Sonja have distanced themselves from ventures like the Netflix documentary but also spoken vociferously in support of their daughter and son-in-law as important members of their family.