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Princess Mako’s long wait to marry: timeline of a royal romance
- Mako met Kei Komuro in 2012 while studying at Tokyo’s International Christian University. The two announced their engagement five years later
- But their marriage was postponed in 2018, with the pair only tying the knot on Tuesday after years of criticism from the Japanese public
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Reutersin Tokyo
Japan’s Princess Mako, the emperor’s niece, was married on Tuesday after years of criticism over her fiancé that led to their marriage being postponed for three years and resulted in her being diagnosed with post-traumatic stress disorder.
Mako, 30, lost her royal status after her marriage to commoner Kei Komuro, also 30, was formalised with the submission of documents at a local office. Japanese royal women who marry commoners cannot ascend the throne and have to become ordinary citizens, according to Japanese law. The two will live in the United States, where Komuro has a job with a law firm.
Here is a brief outline of their relationship:
2012: The two meet as students at Tokyo’s International Christian University, where Mako studied art and cultural heritage and earned a national certificate in curation.
September 2017: The Imperial Household Agency announces their engagement. The two later hold a news conference during which their smiles at each other captivate the public, with their marriage set for November 2018.
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