Japan's Princess Ayako to Let Go of Title to Marry a Commoner
Another Japanese royal family member is willing to lose her title, all in the name of love.
Princess Ayako of Takamado, the third and youngest daughter of the late Prince Norihito and Princess Hisako, formally announced her engagement to Kei Moriya, a 32-year-old employee of the NYK Line shipping firm. Prince Norihito is a first cousin of Emperor Akihito.
The 27-year-old princess and her fiancé made the announcement at a joint press conference held at the Imperial Household Agency. Princess Ayako also recalled how she met her future husband in front of the press people.
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"I met Mr. Moriya for the first time in December last year, and I remember that our conversation got so lively that it didn't feel like we had just met and that I had so much fun that I forgot about time," the princess stated, according to The Japan Times.
She also said that they saw each other a lot of times since her mother Princess Hisaka introduced them. According to the princess, she started to become attracted to Moriya as she got to know his kind, decisive, and intellectual personality.
"I don't know what my mother's intentions were in introducing him to me, but as the two of us went to various places together and shared our time and memories, we became naturally drawn to each other. I think we were able to come this far thanks to the wonderful ties started by our mothers," Princess Ayako also stated.
Moriya, on the other hand, revealed that they also felt closer to each other because both of them knew how to deal with the immediate deaths of their loved ones. He lost his mother in 2015, while Prince Norihito passed away in 2002.
The couple will have their official engagement through a traditional court ceremony that the Japanese culture refers to as the Nosai no Gi. It will be held on Aug. 12. Their wedding is expected to be held at the Meiji Jingu Shrine in Shibuya Ward, Tokyo.
Since Princess Ayako will marry a commoner, she will have to let go of her Imperial status.
Her sister Noriko also gave up her Imperial title in 2014 after marrying a commoner named Kunimaro Senge. Her cousin, Princess Make, the eldest granddaughter of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko, will also lose her title after her wedding to commoner Kei Komuro in 2020.
