Japan’s former Princess Mako of Akishino has been spotted shopping at an Amish market as she adjusts to life away from the throne.
The 31-year-old, who gave up her royal status when she married Kei Komuro, kept it casual for the outing in Hell’s Kitchen, New York.
She opted for a low-key ensemble of wide-leg jeans, black shirt and trainers before accessorizing with a tote bag and face mask.
It comes after her commoner husband passed his bar exam on the third attempt – defying detractors back home who had criticized their romance.
Japan’s former Princess Mako of Akishino has been spotted shopping at an Amish market as she adjusts to life away from the throne
The 31-year-old, who gave up her royal status when she married Kei Komuro, kept it casual for the outing in Hell’s Kitchen, New York
She opted for a low-key ensemble of wide-leg jeans, black shirt and trainers before accessorizing with a tote bag
Mako wore her hair slicked back into a low bun as her curtain bangs were buffeted by the breeze
Mako looked nonchalant as she strolled along the sidewalk to run errands earlier this week.
She wore her hair slicked back into a low bun as her curtain bangs were buffeted by the breeze.
The former royal appeared to be alone with 31-year-old husband Kei Komuro absent from the scene.
The pair have been keeping a low profile while living in a luxury one-bedroom apartment in the city, and are believed to be financially independent.
The former princess was entitled to a $1.3 million payout from the Japanese government after giving up her noble status but she turned it down.
Mako has since been settling into her new life and has reportedly been making use of her background in art history by serving as an unpaid volunteer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art.
‘She has specifically been involved in preparing an exhibition of paintings inspired by the life of a 13th-century monk who traveled throughout Japan as he introduced Buddhism,’ the Japan Times wrote previously.
In October, Komuro, a graduate of Fordham University law school, passed the New York bar exam after two other failed attempts – with many reports claiming that the achievement would finally improve his shaky standing among the imperial family.
It comes after her commoner husband Kei Komuro (pictured together previously) passed his bar exam on the third attempt – defying detractors back home who had criticized their romance
The former royal appeared to be alone with 31-year-old husband Kei Komuro absent from the scene
Japan’s former princess was sporting a face mask for the outing as she strolled down the sidewalk earlier this week
Komuro met Mako in 2013 when they were both studying at the International Christian University outside Tokyo.
The couple got ‘unofficially engaged’ in 2017 and had planned on tying the knot in November 2018.
Initially, the news was greeted with delight in Japan but a scandal began to brew when it was discovered that his mother, Kayo, had not repaid a four million yen ($35,000) loan from a former fiancé, partly to pay his tuition.
The controversy led critics to suggest Komuro was only marrying the princess for money or fame.
Komuro issued a 24-page statement about the money, claiming his mother believed it was a gift rather than a loan.
Mako and her husband have been keeping a low profile while living in a luxury one-bedroom apartment in the city
The former princess has been adjusting to life away from the throne and has reportedly been making use of her background in art history by serving as an unpaid volunteer at the Metropolitan Museum of Art
Mako went equally as under the radar to run errands earlier this week as she went solo for the outing
Eventually, he said he would repay it but it is still not known whether it has ever been returned.
Despite the turmoil, Komuro and Mako’s love endured, and she announced that she was moving forward with the marriage.
She gave up her royal status last year when she tied the knot. All Japanese princesses relinquish their royal status upon marriage, as there is only male succession in the Japanese imperial family.
Mako can no longer live in the Imperial Palace, and if she and Komuro have sons, they will not be in the line of succession for the male-only emperorship.
She can never return to the dynasty, even if her marriage ends in divorce.
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