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Japan’s Princess Mako makes an official departure from the Royal family, following her controversial wedding with non-royal boyfriend Kei Komuro.
The 30-year-old Princess announced her engagement four years ago, with the news being welcomed with major disapproval from the public, involving a money scandal that started with the family of Komuro.
And while the young couple would have preferred to marry sooner, the controversy delayed the marriage by three years, forcing Mako and Komuro to skip the formal ceremony and register at the local ward office Tuesday morning.
Mako stated, “To me, Kei is a very important, indispensable existence,” wearing a beautiful pastel dress and pearls.
The situation has raised questions about Royal traditions and gender equality, and in an effort to change the public‘s perspective, the Princess declined the usual payment of $1.3 million, given by the government from taxpayer money.
Following the wedding multiple media outlets published a series of questions submitted during the registration process for their marriage, later described as “false information being presented as truth.”
The princess shared her reaction after seeing the information, declaring “I felt fearful, pained and sad that incorrect information was taken as truth, and that these baseless stories spread.“
Mako, who will no longer be known as Princess, following her union to a commoner, is expected to move to New York City, where Komuro works at a law firm.