After four years, Princess Mako finally tied the knot with her college sweetheart Kei Komuro, officially giving up her place in the Japanese royal family.
On Tuesday, Princess Mako, who is the niece of Emperor Naruhito, and Komuro married in a quiet ceremony, skipping any formal, traditional rites that usually accompany Japanese royal weddings. Instead, they registered their union at the local government.
The union officially marked Princess Mako’s formal exit from the Japanese imperial family. In Japan, princesses who marry commoners will lose their royal status and become a normal citizen upon marriage as stated by Imperial Household Law, a statute in Japanese law created in 1947.
In 2017, it was announced that Princess Mako and Komuro were engaged to be married. The original ceremony was scheduled for 2018, however, their union was delayed by three years due a financial dispute regarding the groom’s mother and her former fiancé, who reportedly helped finance Komuro’s education. The controversy made both the royal family and Japanese public quick to be skeptical of the marriage.
The princess’ dramatic departure from the royal family has led the media to draw comparisons to another former royal couple: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. The couple announced they were leaving
On Tuesday, Princess Mako, who is the niece of Emperor Naruhito, and Komuro married in a quiet ceremony, skipping any formal, traditional rites that usually accompany Japanese royal weddings. Instead, they registered their union at the local government.
The union officially marked Princess Mako’s formal exit from the Japanese imperial family. In Japan, princesses who marry commoners will lose their royal status and become a normal citizen upon marriage as stated by Imperial Household Law, a statute in Japanese law created in 1947.
In 2017, it was announced that Princess Mako and Komuro were engaged to be married. The original ceremony was scheduled for 2018, however, their union was delayed by three years due a financial dispute regarding the groom’s mother and her former fiancé, who reportedly helped finance Komuro’s education. The controversy made both the royal family and Japanese public quick to be skeptical of the marriage.
The princess’ dramatic departure from the royal family has led the media to draw comparisons to another former royal couple: Meghan Markle and Prince Harry. The couple announced they were leaving
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