Life is weird. Imagine being born into a family where your grandmother is a Queen, your uncle is the King, and every single move you make is scrutinized by a nation of five million people. That is the baseline reality for the princess martha louise daughters. Maud Angelica, Leah Isadora, and Emma Tallulah Behn didn't choose the spotlight, but they’ve certainly learned how to navigate it with a level of grace that, frankly, most of us wouldn’t have at their age.
They aren't "HRHs." They don't have titles. This was a deliberate choice made by their parents, Princess Märtha Louise and the late Ari Behn, to give them a shot at a somewhat normal life. But "normal" is a relative term when your mom is a clairvoyant royal who recently married an American shaman, and your dad was one of Norway’s most provocative authors and artists.
Who exactly are the Behn sisters?
The three girls are the product of a marriage that broke almost every royal rule in the book. When Märtha Louise married Ari Behn in 2002, the Norwegian public was... skeptical. He was an outsider, a "bohemian" who wasn't afraid to stir the pot. This rebellious spirit is clearly visible in the princess martha louise daughters, though it manifests differently in each of them.
Maud Angelica, the eldest, was born in 2003. She’s the artist. Then came Leah Isadora in 2005, who has basically conquered the Norwegian beauty and influencer scene. The youngest, Emma Tallulah, born in 2008, is a competitive equestrian. They are incredibly close. You see it in the way they show up for each other at events, or how they post on social media. It's not that polished, PR-managed royal vibe you get from the British monarchy. It’s raw. Sometimes it’s even a little messy.
Maud Angelica: The voice of a generation
Maud is different. Honestly, there’s no other way to put it. While most royal teenagers are worried about fitting in, Maud has spent her early twenties becoming a mental health advocate and a published author. Her life changed forever on Christmas Day 2019. That was the day her father, Ari Behn, took his own life.
The funeral was televised. Millions watched. And then, this sixteen-year-old girl stood up behind the pulpit at Oslo Cathedral and delivered a eulogy that stopped the country in its tracks. She didn't just talk about her grief; she spoke directly to people struggling with suicidal thoughts. She told them there is hope. It was a moment of immense bravery that earned her the "Akuttretningsprisen" (an award for suicide prevention).
She paints. She draws. She writes. Her book, Threads of Tears, is a deeply personal look at grief. It’s not just a celebrity vanity project; it’s a legitimate piece of art. Maud seems to have inherited her father’s sensitive, artistic soul, and she’s using it to process a trauma that would have broken a lot of people.
Leah Isadora: The glamour and the grind
Then there’s Leah. If Maud is the soul, Leah Isadora is the fire. She is arguably the most "famous" of the princess martha louise daughters in the modern, digital sense. While her sisters keep a slightly lower profile, Leah has embraced the world of social media, fashion, and beauty.
She’s a massive influencer in Norway. We're talking hundreds of thousands of followers. In 2021, she won "Beauty Influencer of the Year" at the Vixen Awards. She’s walked red carpets in Paris and is a regular at fashion weeks. But don't mistake her for just another "nepo baby" coasting on her last name. Leah works. She does her own makeup for shoots, manages her brand deals, and has been very clear about the fact that she wants to build a career that is entirely separate from the Royal House.
She’s also hilarious. Her TikToks often poke fun at the absurdity of her life or the "royal" stereotypes people project onto her. There’s a certain toughness to Leah. She’s had to deal with a fair amount of online bullying—partly because of her mother’s controversial choices and partly just because she’s a young woman in the public eye. She handles it with a shrug and a "watch me" attitude.
Emma Tallulah: The athlete
The youngest, Emma, is the one you’ll most likely find in a stable. Following in her mother’s footsteps, Emma Tallulah is a seriously talented show jumper. She competes at a high level and has represented Norway in international competitions.
While her sisters are busy with art galleries and makeup launches, Emma is usually covered in dust and horse hair. There’s a discipline required for equestrian sports that seems to ground her. She’s younger, so she’s stayed out of the headlines more than her sisters, but as she enters her late teens, she’s starting to carve out her own identity. She’s got that same Behn-family determination.
The Shaman Durek Factor
We have to talk about it. You can't discuss the princess martha louise daughters without mentioning their mother’s marriage to Durek Verrett. To say it’s been a controversial union would be an understatement. The Norwegian press has been brutal.
The wedding in Geiranger in 2024 was a massive media circus. Through it all, the three daughters have been remarkably loyal to their mother. They were front and center at the wedding, looking stunning and supportive. But you have to wonder what it’s like behind closed doors. They lost their father in a tragic way, and then their mother brought a very polarizing figure into their lives.
Reports from those close to the family suggest the girls have a functional, if perhaps complicated, relationship with their stepfather. They’ve been seen traveling with him and Martha Louise. However, they’ve also maintained a very strong bond with their paternal grandparents, the Behns. This suggests a level of emotional maturity that most adults struggle with. They aren't picking sides; they're just living their lives.
Growing up in the shadow of tragedy
The death of Ari Behn is the "before and after" point for these girls. Before 2019, they were the quirky, artistic royal-adjacent kids. After 2019, they became symbols of resilience.
Norway is a small country. The Royal Family is genuinely loved, but they are also treated like a national soap opera. The princess martha louise daughters had to mourn their father while the entire country watched. That kind of pressure does one of two things: it either crushes you or it forges you into something incredibly strong.
Looking at them now, it’s clear they chose the latter. They talk about their father constantly. They honor his memory through their work. They haven't tried to hide the "messy" parts of their grief, and that’s why people in Norway—and across the world—connect with them. They feel real.
Navigating the "No Title" life
The fact that they aren't Princesses is actually their greatest asset. Because they don't have titles, they aren't bound by the same strict neutrality rules that govern their cousin, Princess Ingrid Alexandra (the future Queen of Norway).
- They can have jobs.
- They can have political opinions (though they usually stay quiet on that front).
- They can run businesses.
- They can be influencers.
This freedom has allowed them to explore identities that would be impossible for "working royals." They are essentially the bridge between the ancient institution of the monarchy and the modern world of Gen Z content creation and social activism.
The Future for the Behn Sisters
What’s next? Maud will likely continue her path in the arts. There’s talk of more books and perhaps more gallery shows. Leah is already a mogul in the making; don't be surprised if she launches her own makeup or clothing line soon. Emma is still in the middle of her schooling and her riding career, but she’s one to watch on the European equestrian circuit.
They are the most interesting part of the Norwegian royal ecosystem right now. They represent a shift in how we view royalty—less about crowns and scepters, more about authenticity and mental health.
If you want to keep up with them, follow their individual journeys rather than looking for them in official royal circulars. Leah Isadora's Instagram and TikTok are the best places to see the day-to-day reality of her life. For Maud, keep an eye on the Norwegian literary and art scene.
Key takeaways for those following the family:
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First, understand that they are private citizens. Even though they are in the line of succession (way down the list), they don't receive a government allowance. They have to earn their own way.
Second, respect the boundary between their public personas and their private grief. They’ve been incredibly open, but that doesn't mean everything is for public consumption.
Lastly, look at their work. Whether it’s Maud’s poetry, Leah’s creative direction in beauty, or Emma’s athleticism, these women are actually doing things. They aren't just "famous for being famous." In a world of shallow celebrity culture, the princess martha louise daughters are actually bringing some substance to the table. They’ve taken a difficult, highly unusual upbringing and turned it into something that looks a lot like a purposeful life.
Keep an eye on the Vixen Awards and the Norwegian equestrian championships if you want to see them in their element. Their story is far from over, and honestly, it’s just getting interesting.