Japanese Princess Mako working as unpaid volunteer at US museum

Japan's Princess Mako, who gave up her royal status to marry her commoner boyfriend Kei Komuro, is now reportedly working at the Metropolitan Museum of Modern Art in New York as a volunteer..

The 30-year-old princess married Mr. Komuro last year in October, and left Japan to move to New York and start her life as a commoner. The princess has a degree in art and cultural heritage from the International Christian University in Tokyo. And is making the most of her degree by working at the museum.

She also studied art history at the University of Edinburgh and has a master's degree in art museum and gallery studies from the University of Leicester.

The princess had also worked as a special researcher at the University of Tokyo's Museum while she was still a royal in Japan. At the Met, she is working in the Asian art collection of the museum.

According to a report in The Japan Times, the former princess is now working to come up with an exhibition of paintings inspired by the life of a 13th century monk named Ippen. The monk had travelled around Japan between 1192 and 1333 introducing Buddhism to the masses.

"She's qualified and probably handling pieces in the collection. In general, it's work which requires a great deal of preparation and often means spending a lot of time in the library," said an ex-Met curator.

The princess had to give up everything to marry her college sweetheart as Japanese law does not allow female imperial family members to keep their royal status upon marriage to a "commoner." The same is not applicable for the male members who are allowed to marry commoners and retain their status.

In addition to relinquishing the title, Princess Mako had also declined the $1million payment in taxpayer's money that is traditionally given to women who give up their royal status.