JAPAN’S Princess Mako has married her college sweetheart Kei Komuro, thus losing her royal status.
Now being married to Komuro, a ‘commoner’ means female imperial family members forfeit their status upon marriage to a “commoner”.
She also skipped the usual rites of a royal wedding and turned down a payment offered to royal females upon their departure from the family.
She is the first female member of the royal family to decline both.
The couple is expected to move to the US – where Mr Komuro works as a lawyer – after marriage.
Komuro was most recently criticised for sporting a ponytail when he returned to Japan.
Some tabloid newspapers and social media users felt his hairstyle – seen as unconventional in Japan – was unbecoming of someone set to marry a princess.
There was also a protest on Tuesday against the couple’s marriage.
In a press conference on Tuesday, Ms Mako said she apologised for any trouble brought to people by her marriage.
“I am very sorry for the inconvenience caused and I am grateful for those… who have continued to support me,” she said, according to an NHK report. “For me, Kei is irreplaceable – marriage was a necessary choice for us.”
Mr Komuro added that he loved Ms Mako and wanted to spend his life with her.
“I love Mako. We only get one life, and I want us to spend it with the one we love,” said Mr Komuro according to an AFP report. “I feel very sad that Mako has been in a bad condition, mentally and physically, because of the false accusations.”
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