Japan’s constitutional rules mean that once a Princess marries a commoner, she must leave the Imperial Royal Family. Princess Mako – the daughter of Crown Prince Fumihito – revealed her plans to marry her university sweetheart, Kei Komuro, in 2017, a move that would force her to relinquish her royal ties (the couple are still not yet wed, after several delays). When they do finally tie the knot, she will not be granted any money from the crown, and will need to work for a living. The last Princess to do so was Princess Ayako in 2018. When Princess Mako’s aunt, Sayako, wed a commoner in 2005, she had to ‘learn’ how to live like a normal person, taking driving lessons and practicing shopping at the supermarket.
