Princess Märtha Louiseof Norway is opening up about the recent death of her ex-husband and father of her children,Ari Behn. The royal familylaid Behn to rest on Friday at Oslo Cathedral.
“Dear Ari, We were supposed to be together at Christmas and celebrating. We had all been looking forward to it. And we are so infinitely sad and sorry for the loss of just you, because you were the girls’ warm, funny, wise and good dad that they so dearly miss,” the royal wrote onInstagram, along with a photo of her late ex.
The mom of three concluded, “You are and will continue to be deeply missed, Ari. And I feel sad that you never really understood how loved you were. I hope that we who are left can be good at praising each other and saying the nice words to each other. For we have this life to share just how happy we are for each other and what wonderful qualities we see in each other. We keep you in love, Ari, and move on with your words: Every day is a party and you are a piece of jewelry.”
Patrick van Katwijk/picture-alliance/dpa/AP
In a statement issued on Christmas Day, Princess Martha Louise’s parents, King Harald and Queen Sonja, said Behn was “an important part of our family for many years, and we carry warm, fond memories of him,” according toThe Independent.
“We are grateful that we got to know him. We grieve that our grandchildren have now lost their beloved father — and have deep compassion for his parents and siblings, who have now lost their beloved son and brother,” the statement said.
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Princess Martha Louise, who is nowdatingAmerican “spiritual guide” to the starsShaman Durek, wasmarriedto Behn for 14 years before officiallydivorcingin 2016.
Astatementfrom the Royal House of Norway at the time of their split said the separation was amicable, and that the two would continue to co-parent their three kids.
“We are human,” Princess Märtha Louise said in the statement, adding the couple had tried “everything in their power to make the marriage work.”
“It’s unspeakably sad for both of us to discover that the road ahead doesn’t run as it once did. Like so many others, we’ve grown apart,” she said. “We’ve tried everything over a long period of time … but it’s impossible for us to go on.”
She added: “The marriage is over, but we stand together as parents.”
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“It’s with great sorrow in our hearts that we, those closest to Ari Behn, must report that he took his own life today,” Geir Håkonsund, Behn’s manager, said in a statement toNorwegian newspaperVG. “We ask for respect for our private lives in the time to come.”
If you or someone you know is considering suicide, please contact the National Suicide Prevention Lifeline at 1-800-273-TALK (8255), text “STRENGTH” to the Crisis Text Line at 741-741 or go tosuicidepreventionlifeline.org.
source: people.com
