Ex-Japanese Princess Who Married A Commoner Welcomes First Child: Report
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Princess Mako lost her royal status after announcing her wedding to her commoner boyfriend, Kei Komuro, in 2021.
Princess Mako of Akishino, who gave up her royal status to marry her commoner boyfriend Kei Komuro, reportedly welcomed her first child earlier this month. The former princess, eldest daughter of Japan's Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko, left the imperial family in 2021 and relocated to New York City with her husband. Nearly four years after their wedding, speculation is growing that the couple has become parents.
As a Josei Seven report, pictures of Princess Mako and her husband have surfaced online, showing them with a stroller, fuelling rumours of a possible new addition to the family. Princess Mako reportedly gave birth to a child on May 22, 2025, and has been keeping a low profile ever since. The pregnancy rumours made headlines earlier this year when the local media reported the former princess's public outings in loose clothing.
As of now, details about the child's birth and gender have been kept a secret. Also, the Japanese Imperial family is yet to make a statement on the same. If confirmed, the child will officially become Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Kiko's first grandchild.
Meanwhile, Mako is likely to return to Japan for her younger brother's coming-of-age ceremony in September 2025.
Princess Mako, now known as Mako Komuro, is the eldest child of Prince Akishino and his wife, Princess Kiko. While Mako initially attended the elite Gakushuin school, she later left the institution to attend university, where she studied Art and Cultural Heritage, spending a year abroad. Mako graduated with a master's degree in Art Museum and Gallery Studies at the University of Leicester.
In an unexpected turn of events, Mako announced her engagement to her longtime boyfriend, Kei Komuro, in 2017. In 2021, the couple held a press conference to announce their wedding, resulting in Mako's exit from royal status. 'We will be starting a new life. I am sure we will encounter difficulties along the way. But just as we have until now, I want to continue joining forces and walking together side by side," she said at the time.
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During this time, Mako not only skipped a grand wedding celebration but also turned down a traditional payment of $1.3 million, which is given to a female member of the imperial family upon departure from the household.
The decision sparked strong reactions from the Japanese royal family as well as from the public.
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