Japanese princess set to lose royal status by marrying a commoner ================================================================= ![Japanese princess set to lose royal status by marrying a commoner](https://vardags.com/images/pictures/_360/74c6607637bb6dfe7cbd1166d32ccd59.jpeg)Japan's Princess Mako, the eldest granddaughter of Emperor Akihito, is set to lose her royal status having [announced](https://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-39957217) her intentions to marry a commoner. The 25 year old princess met Kei Komuro while at university in Tokyo. The news of their impending betrothal broke this Tuesday. When they marry Princess Mako will have to leave the royal family, by a law that only applies to female members of the imperial family. The princess will follow the example of her aunt Princess Sayako who surrendered her royal status to marry an urban planner in 2005. The princess's marriage will rekindle ongoing debate in Japan about whether or not to modernise the laws surrounding royal succession. With a predominantly female royal family, this law may see the imperial family dwindle further in the years to come. From the late 1990s until the birth of Prince Hisahito in 2006 the royal family faced a succession crisis with the emperor's two son's just having daughters. The law is in stark contrast to English succession law. Even though in English common law which when a woman marries a man, she takes his last name, rank and title, when a royal woman with title higher marries another royal man with lower ranked title, she retains her title. Prince Philip's recent announcement that he would be stepping down from public duty turned the spotlight on the prince consort who gave up his Greek and Danish royal titles to marry the then Princess Elizabeth. A British Order in Council issued in 1960 allowed descendants of Philip and Elizabeth not bearing royal styles and titles to use the surname Mountbatten-Windsor. "Ayesha Vardag - Britain's top divorce lawyer." ![The Huffington Post](https://vardags.com/images/logo/huffpost.png) "Ayesha Vardag - Woman of the Year"![GG2](https://vardags.com/images/logo/gg2-3.png) "Leading, Magic Circle law firm."Mr Justice Coleridge "A handful of firms dominate the so-called 'glamour' end of the market ... Vardags"The Times "One of the best divorce lawyers in the country"Marie Claire "Ayesha Vardag - 'diva of divorce' for the world's super rich" ![BBC](https://vardags.com/images/logo/bbc.png) "Dr Stephen Bence is a financial genius."Lewis Marks KC "Ayesha Vardag - the Queen of divorce"Daily Mail "Vardags brilliantly argued my case to a resounding victory"Pauline Chai (client) "Britain's top divorce lawyer" ![The Telegraph](https://vardags.com/images/logo/telegraph.png) More Family Law news -------------------- [British pensioners passing up on matrimony](https://vardags.com/family-law/unmarried-older-couples-miss-tax-breaks "British pensioners passing up on matrimony") [Father challenges the family courts to uphold their pledge to transparency](https://vardags.com/family-law/father-challenges-family-courts-uphold-transparency "Father challenges the family courts to uphold their pledge to transparency") [Japanese princess set to lose royal status by marrying a commoner](https://vardags.com/family-law/japanese-princess-losing-royal-status "Japanese princess set to lose royal status by marrying a commoner") [Mostyn criticises system which lets millionaire pay £7 a week in child support](https://vardags.com/family-law/mostyn-criticises-child-support-system "Mostyn criticises system which lets millionaire pay £7 a week in child support") [World Congress on Family Law and Children's Rights to take place in Dublin in June](https://vardags.com/family-law/world-congress-on-family-law-and-childrens-rights-2017 "World Congress on Family Law and Children's Rights to take place in Dublin in June") Articles by Thea Dunne ---------------------- [Surrogate gives birth to her mother's baby](https://vardags.com/family-law/surrogate-gives-birth-to-her-mothers-baby "Surrogate gives birth to her mother's baby") [British pensioners passing up on matrimony](https://vardags.com/family-law/unmarried-older-couples-miss-tax-breaks "British pensioners passing up on matrimony") [Japanese princess set to lose royal status by marrying a commoner](https://vardags.com/family-law/japanese-princess-losing-royal-status "Japanese princess set to lose royal status by marrying a commoner") [Sir James Munby calls for divorce law change "as fast as sensibly possible"](https://vardags.com/family-law/munby-de-linked-online-divorce "Sir James Munby calls for divorce law change as fast as sensibly possible") [Hopes dashed for Israel's "chained wives"](https://vardags.com/family-law/israels-chained-wives "Hopes dashed for Israel's 'chained wives'")