After a three-year delay caused by a financial disagreement with her new mother-in-law, Japanese Princess Mako marries a commoner. She lost her royal status on Tuesday in a match that has divided public opinion.
A palace official filed Mako and Kei Komuro’s marriage papers on Tuesday morning. They are now official, according to the Imperial Household Agency.
Mako, who is no longer a princess, has adopted her husband’s surname and changed her name to Mako Komuro. This is the first time she has had a family name. Simply male members of Japan’s imperial dynasty get household names. Female members only get titles. They forcefully leave if they marry commoners.
Many criticized Japanese gender rules resemble this form of prewar paternalism, which the royal family has retained. Thereby, including a law requiring married couples to use just one surname, almost always the husband.
The newlyweds will give statements during a press conference in the afternoon. But they will only respond to questions in writing because Mako expressed worry and apprehension about the questions, according to the news agency.
Mako is suffering from a sort of traumatic stress disorder. She developed after watching bad media coverage about their marriage, including attacks on Komuro, earlier this month, according to palace doctors.
There will be no wedding supper, and the couple will have no other wedding traditions. According to the agency, their marriage is not widely publicized.
Mako, Emperor Naruhito’s niece, turned 30 three days before the wedding. She and Komuro were also classmates at Tokyo’s International Christian University. They announced their intention to marry the following year in September 2017. But a financial issue arose two months later, and the wedding was postponed. But now, Japanese Princess Mako marries a commoner and gave up the royal status.