Japanese gov't considers Princess Mako's request to refuse 'marriage money' after renouncing royal rights

Princess Mako of Japan, who is ready to renounce her royal rights to be able to marry a commoner, wants to refuse her marriage money as well. She is entitled to the amount upon her marriage to her fiancé, Kei Komuro, like other female members of the Imperial Family who receive it when they give up their royal lives to marry outside royalty.

Princess Mako is the ninth female member of the Japenese royal family to marry a commoner since the passage of the Imperial Household Law of 1947, which dictates that women who marry commoners must leave the imperial family. The royal, who will turn 30 next month, is planning to relocate to the United States after the marriage.

According to a report in the Royal Central, the Japanese government is set to accept her desire to decline the lump sum of money, which comes from taxes paid by the public. Mako was set to receive 152.5 million yen (equivalent to a little over one million GBP) – an amount determined by the Imperial Household Economy Council, which includes Prime Minister Suga. With this, she has broken from the tradition that has existed since the end of the Second World War.

Mako and Komuro, who had announced their engagement in September 2017, will finally register their marriage next month. Komuro, who has been studying law at Fordham University, will return home for the first time since 2018 for their nuptials. After the marriage, they will reportedly establish their base in New York, where he is expecting to be employed at a law firm.

Their marriage, which was originally scheduled to take place in 2018, will come after years of delay due to a financial dispute involving Komuro's family which the royal family disapproves. The information came to light in 2018 that a former fiancé of his mother first said he did not want to be paid back the money he gave to Komuro's mother for his education among other things, but later asked them to repay the debt. The dispute has been settled now.

Princess Mako is the eldest child of Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko, and the niece of Emperor Naruhito.