Japan’s Princess Ayako has surrendered her royal title after marrying a commoner in Tokyo yesterday.
The 28-year-old princess, the third daughter of Emperor Akihito’s late cousin Prince Takamado, lost her status after her wedding to Kei Moriya, a 32-year-old employee at a shipping company.
The Week
Escape your echo chamber. Get the facts behind the news, plus analysis from multiple perspectives.
Sign up for The Week's Free Newsletters
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
From our morning news briefing to a weekly Good News Newsletter, get the best of The Week delivered directly to your inbox.
The private ceremony was held on Monday morning at the Meiji Shrine, where hundreds of well-wishers gathered to see the bride and groom arrive.
Ayako wore a light yellow kimono embroidered with pink flowers and green leaves and a deep purple hakama - wide-legged pleated trousers that fall to the ankles, CNN reports.
Moriya opted for a western style western-style black morning coat, grey pin-striped trousers and a silk hat that belonged to Ayako’s late father, Prince Takamodo, the news site adds.
“I’m filled with joy to get married and to have so many people visit us at the Meiji Shrine and congratulate us,” the bride told reporters after the wedding.
According to the Japan Times, Ayako will receive ¥107 million (£740,000) “in order to maintain her high standard of living even after she loses her royal status.”
With only four male heirs to the throne currently living, the shrinking size of the royal family “has raised concerns and calls for changes in the Imperial Succession Law, but conservatives are deeply resistant to allowing females to inherit the Chrysanthemum Throne”, Reuters reports.
-
Political cartoons for February 16Cartoons Monday’s political cartoons include President's Day, a valentine from the Epstein files, and more
-
Regent Hong Kong: a tranquil haven with a prime waterfront spotThe Week Recommends The trendy hotel recently underwent an extensive two-year revamp
-
The problem with diagnosing profound autismThe Explainer Experts are reconsidering the idea of autism as a spectrum, which could impact diagnoses and policy making for the condition
-
Epstein files topple law CEO, roil UK governmentSpeed Read Peter Mandelson, Britain’s former ambassador to the US, is caught up in the scandal
-
Iran and US prepare to meet after skirmishesSpeed Read The incident comes amid heightened tensions in the Middle East
-
Israel retrieves final hostage’s body from GazaSpeed Read The 24-year-old police officer was killed during the initial Hamas attack
-
China’s Xi targets top general in growing purgeSpeed Read Zhang Youxia is being investigated over ‘grave violations’ of the law
-
Panama and Canada are negotiating over a crucial copper mineIn the Spotlight Panama is set to make a final decision on the mine this summer
-
Why Greenland’s natural resources are nearly impossible to mineThe Explainer The country’s natural landscape makes the task extremely difficult
-
Iran cuts internet as protests escalateSpeed Reada Government buildings across the country have been set on fire
-
US nabs ‘shadow’ tanker claimed by RussiaSpeed Read The ship was one of two vessels seized by the US military
