Princess Mako of Japan to forgo one-time payment on her controversial marriage

The princess who gave up royalty for love 0:59

(CNN) -

Princess Mako of Japan is forgoing a one-time payment of $ 1 million for giving up her royal status to marry a college classmate, local media said Saturday, clearing the way for a delayed marriage. for years over the controversy over her fiancé.

The 29-year-old granddaughter of then-Emperor Akihito and her former college classmate, Kei Komuro, announced their engagement in 2017.

However, the following year the couple delayed their wedding, claiming that they had doubts about getting married so soon and that they needed more time to plan their future together.

Sources from the Imperial House then told CNN that the postponement was due to "lack of preparation."

Under centuries-old Japanese law, marriage between a royal and a commoner would require Princess Mako to renounce her royal status.

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The reason why princess of Japan postponed her wedding 2:00

Waiver of payment

Outgoing members are also entitled to a one-time payment.

However, the government is willing to agree that the princess waive the payment, worth up to 150 million yen (US $ 1.35 million) for royals who renounce their status to marry commoners, amid of public criticism of her fiancé, according to public broadcaster NHK and others.

NHK said the wedding date could be announced in October.

Officials from the Imperial Household Agency were not immediately available for comment.

A Japanese broadcaster, anticipating an imminent wedding, recently tracked down Komuro in New York.

He appeared wearing a ponytail, a detail that has caused quite a stir among some Japanese users on Twitter.

The media has said that the couple plan to live in the United States.

Imperial law allows the throne to pass only to male heirs.

The other single princesses in the family would also lose their royal status if they married commoners, a possibility that could leave the imperial family without enough members to fulfill its public obligations.

Japan princess mako