Love will prevail for Japanese Princess Ayako, even if that means relinquishing her imperial crown. The 28-year-old cousin of Emperor Akihito wed 32…
Love will prevail for Japanese Princess Ayako, even if that means relinquishing her imperial crown.
The 28-year-old cousin of Emperor Akihito wed 32-year-old Japanese businessman Kei Moriya on Oct. 29, effectively giving up her title and royal status per Japan’s imperial law, which dictates that female royals — males are exempt — who choose to marry outside of their aristocratic network will no longer be considered a part of the royal family.
Princess Ayako wore a more traditional pale-yellow, floral embroidered kimono with wide-leg trousers, and carried a ceremonial fan made of Japanese cypress, called a hiougi. She later changed into a red Shinto-style robe and a brown skirt called a naga-bakama. Her groom wore a Western-style tux with pinstriped pants, a black coat and — in a sweet show of respect for his new family — a silk hat that belonged to Ayako’s late father, Prince Takamodo.
“I am awed by how blessed I am,” Ayako told reporters. “I will leave the imperial family today, but I will remain unchanged in my support for his majesty and her majesty.”
Her split from the royal family comes at a time when women’s roles in Japan’s monarchy are being called into question.
Emperor Akihito recently announced that he would pass the throne to his only male heir, 58-year-old Crown Prince Naruhito, in spring of next year. In 2020, his granddaughter, Princess Mako, is also expected to leave the world’s oldest monarchy and marry Japanese commoner Kei Komuro.
