Princess Martha Louise of Norway shared festive photos of her family celebrating her first Christmas on the anniversary of her ex-husband Ari Behn’s suicide.
Mr. Behn, an author who shared three daughters – Maud Angelica, 17, Leah Isadora, 15, and Emma Tallulah, 12 – with his ex-wife, Princess Martha Louise, 49, took her own life on Christmas Day last year.
The mother of three shared a festive selfie with her boyfriend Shaman Durek, 49, suggesting that the American spent the day with the family, as well as photos of her three children that day.
She commented: ‘These holidays were a little different from previous years, but we also managed to capture the festive spirit.
Princess Martha Louise of Norway, 49, revealed more details about how her family spent their first Christmas on the anniversary of the suicide of her ex-husband Ari Behn (photo, with her boyfriend Shaman Durek)
In one photo, Princess Martha Louise’s youngest daughter Emma, 12, can be seen stroking a horse while wearing a festive red dress
‘One of the most important things we discovered to be a grieving family after Ari, the father of my wonderful children, committed suicide a year ago on Christmas Day, was to welcome love, happiness, fun and games, in addition to sadness that you cannot help when in mourning.
‘If you get sad and dive into sadness and grief is to breathe out, happiness, love, embracing the Spirit of Christmas and so on, is to inspire.
“As we all know, if we just breathe out, we will die. If we just inhale, we will die too. ‘
She continued: ‘So we need that balance of the two and allowing yourself a break from sadness, grief, tears and darkness, without shame or bad conscience is really important.
Meanwhile, the mother of three also shared a selfie with teenage daughter Leah, who posted an emotional tribute to her father days ago
‘Allow yourself to feel happiness, have fun, enjoy, laugh, connect and love in difficult times.
‘Grief tires mentally and physically and we all need a break, without shame or heavy conscience, to refill our vessel.
She added: ‘So, please be kind to yourself and see yourself from the perspective of love embracing your whole being.’
His message comes days after his fifteen-year-old daughter Leah paid tribute to her father in an emotional online message.
In addition to sharing her family photos, the royals said they tried to embrace ‘happiness and love’ at Christmas alongside their ‘inevitable sadness’ (in the photo, with eldest daughter Maud)
Sharing a selfie with his 36,000 followers on Instagram, Leah wrote: ‘Today, a year ago, my father killed himself and it was really one of the most difficult years of my life. But if you are alone and / or feeling alone, I want you to know that you are not alone! ‘
She asked fans to seek help, posting several links to suicide prevention organizations.
Leah said, ‘I know my words can do nothing, but if they can help at least one person, it’s worth it.
‘In these difficult times, physical and mental health are very important!’
Princess Martha Louise’s last post came days after her 15-year-old daughter Leah paid tribute to her father, a year after her death
In an emotional Instagram post, the teenager asked those who ‘feel alone’ to seek help and shared the phone number for suicide prevention services
She continued: ‘What if you are fighting; maybe you are alone, feeling exhausted, depressed, broken, going through a loss or even trying to hold on, I mean it will be okay.
– I know it may seem impossible, but I promise it will get better. You will get it. Every day you grow and have the option to be better. ‘
‘It’s okay to feel down, but you have to get up and remember who you are, who you want to be!’
Leah added: ‘And I can’t speak from your perspective, but I was on the other side. And I can say that it hurts a lot.
The young woman pleaded with followers to seek help and said she was ‘promising that she will get better’ on the shared Instagram emotional post to mark her father’s death
‘I know there is someone out there who cares about YOU and who you are. And please, if you need to talk, please get in touch with someone. I know that I prefer to hear your problems than go to your funeral.
It happens after Princess Martha Louise posted a tribute to her ex-husband online.
Sharing a post of a festive tree ornament last night on Instagram, the royal said that her family had marked a ‘very different’ Christmas, saying: ‘We celebrate your life today, we cry for your loss and how much we miss you. It was a day of loving whatever it is. ‘
The mother of three urged her followers to ‘ask for help’ if they were having difficulties, adding: ‘I reach out to all of you who are struggling during the holidays. Know that you are loved. Know that you are needed. Know that it is worth the help you can get. ‘
Meanwhile, Princess Martha also paid tribute to her ex-husband Ari Behn, a year after her death (pictured, Martha Louise and Ari Behn at the wedding of Prince Carl Philip of Sweden in 2015)
In the emotional post, Princess Martha wrote: ‘I just wanted to wish everyone a Merry Christmas.
‘This year was a very different holiday season because Ari, the dear father of my three daughters, is no longer with us. He chose to leave this plane last year on this day. ‘
She continued: ‘Life affects us all. We can’t help it. We have to find this. Please ask for help. Please express how you are. You are loved.’
Weeks ago, Princess Martha’s daughter, Maud Angelica, 17, paid tribute to her father in an interview.
In an emotional post, Princess Martha said the family “wept for her loss and how we missed her” on Christmas Day
Speaking to Voici, Maud said his father was “someone who stopped talking to talk to an acquaintance” and a man “genuinely interested in people”.
“He was a generous man, who always had good, poetic praise to give him,” he was very good at that, “she said.
Speaking about how she was suing her grief, the 17-year-old said: ‘I think it will always be a little difficult. Of course, the pain will become less and less difficult to deal with over time. But we never got over the pain. We ended up just accepting it and decided to focus on life. ‘
After the divorce, Mr. Behn wrote a book Inferno, which critics described as “overflowing with despair and sadness” and describes his struggles with mental health, headaches, hallucinations and difficulty breathing.
Leah, portrayed with her sisters Maud, Emma and Princess Marhta Louise at Ari Behn’s funeral, said the loss of her father still ‘hurts a lot’
Promoting literary work last year, he told the Norwegian newspaper VG: ‘I am yesterday’s news, although the world has not yet been informed. I am a clown, at worst. At best, I’m a publicist and a public actor. For many, I am a fool. ‘
Princess Martha Louise started a relationship with her ‘twin’ shaman Durek Verrett, 44, from Los Angeles, with whom she started dating after becoming her client.
Mr. Durek, who is a close friend of Gwyneth Paltrow, claims to be a 6th generation shaman and to be able to communicate between the ‘physical and spiritual planes’.