Japan's Princess Mako loses Royal status for marrying boyfriend | DW News

Japanese Princess Mako has quietly married a commoner without traditional wedding celebrations and said their marriage "was a necessary choice to live while cherishing our hearts." The couple's marriage document was submitted by a palace official Tuesday morning and made official, the Imperial Household Agency said. There was no wedding ceremony, reception banquet or other marriage rituals for the couple.

The marriage to 30-year-old Kei Komuro cost Mako, who turned 30 on Saturday, her royal status as under Japanese law royal women are no longer considered members of the imperial family after marriage. No longer a royal, Mako has now taken the surname of her husband and become Mako Komuro — the first time she has had a family name. In Japan's imperial family, only male members are given household names, while female members only have titles and must leave if they marry commoners.

It's a bittersweet moment for the princess, who has grown up within the cloistered world of the Imperial Palace in Tokyo. It has arguably been made more difficult by the unrelenting attention of the Japanese tabloid media. Even until hours before Mako was due to marry Komuro, there was little indication of the public or the domestic press relenting in their criticism of the first imperial family wedding in nearly 30 years.

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