7 things to know about Princess Mako, The Japanese Princess Who Gave Up Her Up Royal Status to Marry A Commoner

Princess Mako now known as Mako Komuro is the first child and elder daughter of the current emperor’s younger brother, Prince Akishino, and his wife, Princess Kiko.

She became a former member of the Japanese imperial family when she gave up her royal status to marry Kei Komuro, her college boyfriend.

According to the Japanese customs, female imperial family members forfeit their status upon marriage to a “commoner”.

The couple’s marriage has however attracted heated criticism including a protest against the marriage last Tuesday.

Here are 10 things to know about the former Princess Mako

#1. Princess Mako was born on the 23rd of  October 1991 at the Imperial Household Agency Hospital in Tokyo Imperial Palace, Chiyoda, Tokyo.

#2. She was educated at the Gakushūin School in her Primary, Girls’ Junior, and Senior High School years. She studied English at University College, Dublin (UCD), and spent a year at the University of Edinburgh. Later, she earned a master’s degree at the University of Leicester,

#3. She has been something of an internet idol since 2004 when images of her in sailor fuku (a Japanese school uniform) appeared on television.

#4. In 2011, Princess Mako was conferred Grand Cordon of the Order of the Precious Crown on 23 October. Since then, she has been attending official events as an adult member of the Imperial Family.

#5. she worked as a volunteer in the affected areas of the 2011 Tōhoku earthquake and tsunami without revealing her identity. She is able to communicate using Japanese Sign Language and is interested in the Deaf community, like her mother, Princess Akishino.

#6. Princess Mako first met Mr. Komuro at a meeting of students planning to go abroad in 2012.

#7. She was diagnosed with complex PTSD by the head of the quality assurance room of the NTT Tokyo Medical Center. The diagnosis determined that the PTSD originated during her primary high school years but Komuro blamed the continued strong criticism about her then-fiancé Kei Komuro by Imperial family members, media, and many Japanese commoners.