1 00:00:00,280 --> 00:00:04,680 Speaker 1: Welcome to Noble Blood, a production of iHeartRadio and Grim 2 00:00:04,680 --> 00:00:12,960 Speaker 1: and Mild from Aaron Manky listener discretion advised. It's an 3 00:00:13,039 --> 00:00:17,959 Speaker 1: age old trope, a royal and a commoner falling in love. 4 00:00:18,880 --> 00:00:21,320 Speaker 1: It all started, of course, at least if you were 5 00:00:21,320 --> 00:00:24,960 Speaker 1: a disney kid like me, with Cinderella, a tale whose 6 00:00:25,280 --> 00:00:29,920 Speaker 1: actually oldest known version dates back to the late first 7 00:00:29,960 --> 00:00:35,040 Speaker 1: century BC, when the Greek historian Strabo recorded the tale 8 00:00:35,080 --> 00:00:39,680 Speaker 1: of Rhodopis, an enslaved girl who married the king of Egypt. 9 00:00:40,520 --> 00:00:45,000 Speaker 1: Then there are the countless versions of Cinderella across cultures, 10 00:00:45,440 --> 00:00:49,240 Speaker 1: and plenty of stories with different takes on the commoner 11 00:00:49,479 --> 00:00:54,360 Speaker 1: royal formula, the Princess Bride, Roman holiday, the one where 12 00:00:54,520 --> 00:00:57,560 Speaker 1: Julia Stiles goes to college with the Prince of Denmark. 13 00:00:58,040 --> 00:01:01,520 Speaker 1: It's a trope that has sold count less romance novels 14 00:01:01,560 --> 00:01:05,680 Speaker 1: and earns the Hallmark Channel a significant chunk of their 15 00:01:05,760 --> 00:01:10,400 Speaker 1: Christmas season prophet. Because of the nature of the trope, 16 00:01:10,840 --> 00:01:14,920 Speaker 1: many of these stories share a central conflict, do you 17 00:01:15,040 --> 00:01:19,800 Speaker 1: choose love or do you choose duty? For Princess Mako 18 00:01:19,840 --> 00:01:24,240 Speaker 1: of Akashino, now known simply as Macho Kumuro, the choice 19 00:01:24,480 --> 00:01:29,440 Speaker 1: was clear quote for me, Kai is irreplaceable, Macho told 20 00:01:29,440 --> 00:01:33,679 Speaker 1: the press of her now husband. Marriage was a necessary 21 00:01:33,800 --> 00:01:36,959 Speaker 1: choice to be able to protect our hearts in a 22 00:01:37,160 --> 00:01:41,119 Speaker 1: cherishing way. We the two of us, will start our 23 00:01:41,200 --> 00:01:45,920 Speaker 1: new life. If Macho and Kay's story is ringing any bells, 24 00:01:46,240 --> 00:01:48,880 Speaker 1: you might have seen pictures of them out and about 25 00:01:49,440 --> 00:01:53,000 Speaker 1: in their new home of New York City, usually paired 26 00:01:53,040 --> 00:01:58,200 Speaker 1: with actual tabloid headlines like quote Japan's Princess Mako's shops 27 00:01:58,200 --> 00:02:00,760 Speaker 1: for towels at bed, Bath and Beyond and then gets 28 00:02:00,920 --> 00:02:04,040 Speaker 1: lost on her way home to Hell's Kitchen on week 29 00:02:04,320 --> 00:02:07,040 Speaker 1: after arriving in New York City to start a new 30 00:02:07,080 --> 00:02:12,520 Speaker 1: life with her commoner husband, or quote former Japanese Princess 31 00:02:12,520 --> 00:02:15,960 Speaker 1: Mako Kumuru looks loved up as she strolls hand in 32 00:02:16,040 --> 00:02:19,280 Speaker 1: hand with commoner husband in New York City after he 33 00:02:19,440 --> 00:02:24,440 Speaker 1: failed bar exam for second time. Or maybe even quote 34 00:02:24,720 --> 00:02:28,040 Speaker 1: Princess Mako goes shopping at Amish Market in New York 35 00:02:28,080 --> 00:02:31,640 Speaker 1: as she's pictured for first time since her commoner husband 36 00:02:32,080 --> 00:02:36,800 Speaker 1: finally passed the bar exam on his third attempt. Mako 37 00:02:37,000 --> 00:02:40,760 Speaker 1: chose Kai, Yes, even with all those failed bar attempts, 38 00:02:41,120 --> 00:02:44,760 Speaker 1: But the reality of life in the Japanese royal family 39 00:02:45,240 --> 00:02:49,520 Speaker 1: meant that choosing a commoner wasn't really much of a 40 00:02:49,639 --> 00:02:53,440 Speaker 1: choice at all. There was no path for Mako to 41 00:02:53,560 --> 00:02:59,200 Speaker 1: become empress, with or without marriage. Women cannot inherit Japan's 42 00:02:59,280 --> 00:03:04,000 Speaker 1: chrysanthemum throne, and the country hasn't had an empress since 43 00:03:04,080 --> 00:03:08,600 Speaker 1: seventeen seventy one. On top of that, because Japan no 44 00:03:08,680 --> 00:03:15,360 Speaker 1: longer has nobility, all royals technically marry commoners, but where 45 00:03:15,400 --> 00:03:19,399 Speaker 1: a son's wife would be elevated to his royal status, 46 00:03:19,800 --> 00:03:24,840 Speaker 1: a daughter will be demoted to her husband's commoner status. 47 00:03:25,400 --> 00:03:28,680 Speaker 1: Mako's marriage would go on to ignite a debate about 48 00:03:28,720 --> 00:03:34,279 Speaker 1: feminism in Japan, about imperial succession, and about royal customs. 49 00:03:34,800 --> 00:03:38,600 Speaker 1: At the same time, she would face such intense backlash 50 00:03:38,720 --> 00:03:42,920 Speaker 1: and scrutiny that she would later announce a diagnosis with 51 00:03:43,120 --> 00:03:49,320 Speaker 1: c PTSD. But ultimately, this episode is a love story. 52 00:03:50,000 --> 00:03:53,520 Speaker 1: I love Maco. Ka told the press, we only get 53 00:03:53,560 --> 00:03:56,200 Speaker 1: one life, and I want us to spend it with 54 00:03:56,320 --> 00:04:00,840 Speaker 1: the one we love. I'm Dana Schwartz, and this is 55 00:04:00,920 --> 00:04:06,800 Speaker 1: noble blood. Mako Kimura was born Princess Mako of Akashino 56 00:04:06,920 --> 00:04:12,480 Speaker 1: on October twenty third, nineteen ninety one. Her father is Fumihito, 57 00:04:12,720 --> 00:04:17,280 Speaker 1: Prince Akashino, the younger brother and heir presumptive of the 58 00:04:17,320 --> 00:04:22,640 Speaker 1: Emperor of Japan, and Mako's mother is Kiko, Princess Akashino, 59 00:04:22,760 --> 00:04:27,200 Speaker 1: a former academic with no imperial ties. Before we get 60 00:04:27,320 --> 00:04:31,360 Speaker 1: further into Mako's life, we have to understand how succession 61 00:04:31,560 --> 00:04:36,400 Speaker 1: works in Japan. The line of succession is currently governed 62 00:04:36,480 --> 00:04:42,160 Speaker 1: by the Imperial Household Law of nineteen forty seven, enacted 63 00:04:42,279 --> 00:04:47,000 Speaker 1: under post World War II American occupation during the reign 64 00:04:47,080 --> 00:04:52,880 Speaker 1: of Emperor Hirohito, Mako's great grandfather. The new law had 65 00:04:53,080 --> 00:04:58,520 Speaker 1: dramatic effects, cutting ties with eleven out of twelve branches 66 00:04:58,560 --> 00:05:02,760 Speaker 1: of the imperial family and reducing the royal family to 67 00:05:02,880 --> 00:05:07,120 Speaker 1: the Emperor's immediate family and the families of his brothers. 68 00:05:07,920 --> 00:05:12,360 Speaker 1: This separation was intended to block the potential of using 69 00:05:12,480 --> 00:05:17,120 Speaker 1: another branch of the family to revive the militarism that 70 00:05:17,240 --> 00:05:22,800 Speaker 1: led to World War II. These quote parallel lineages, functioning 71 00:05:22,960 --> 00:05:28,440 Speaker 1: as the nobility and aristocracy historically existed to offer male 72 00:05:28,560 --> 00:05:32,119 Speaker 1: successors to the throne in the case the main line 73 00:05:32,279 --> 00:05:35,640 Speaker 1: could not produce an air while also serving as a 74 00:05:35,760 --> 00:05:41,840 Speaker 1: marriage pool for imperial princesses. The nineteen forty seven law 75 00:05:41,920 --> 00:05:46,680 Speaker 1: also stated that only a male child descended from a 76 00:05:46,800 --> 00:05:52,440 Speaker 1: male emperor could ascend the throne, and imperial princesses must 77 00:05:52,600 --> 00:05:56,280 Speaker 1: leave the royal family upon their marriage to a commoner. 78 00:05:57,040 --> 00:06:00,440 Speaker 1: The first princess to actually see the consequences of that 79 00:06:00,560 --> 00:06:05,479 Speaker 1: law was actually Hirohito's own daughter, Kazuko, who became the 80 00:06:05,600 --> 00:06:09,080 Speaker 1: first member of the imperial family to marry a commoner 81 00:06:09,200 --> 00:06:13,440 Speaker 1: in nineteen fifty. But again, she didn't have a choice 82 00:06:13,880 --> 00:06:17,560 Speaker 1: three short years earlier, her husband had been considered a 83 00:06:17,680 --> 00:06:23,000 Speaker 1: prince and a nobleman before Maco. The most recent princess 84 00:06:23,040 --> 00:06:26,400 Speaker 1: to have left the royal family was her aunt Siako. 85 00:06:26,560 --> 00:06:30,320 Speaker 1: In two thousand and five, she married a town planner, 86 00:06:30,360 --> 00:06:33,719 Speaker 1: and she now holds a position as a high priestess. 87 00:06:34,279 --> 00:06:38,120 Speaker 1: The BBC reported that upon leaving the royal family with 88 00:06:38,200 --> 00:06:41,159 Speaker 1: her new husband, she had to learn how to drive, 89 00:06:41,680 --> 00:06:46,080 Speaker 1: shop in a supermarket and buy furniture. Mako was only 90 00:06:46,200 --> 00:06:49,440 Speaker 1: fourteen years old at that time, and while she knew 91 00:06:49,520 --> 00:06:51,800 Speaker 1: that she would one day have to give up her 92 00:06:51,839 --> 00:06:55,320 Speaker 1: title if she chose to marry, those worries could wait 93 00:06:56,000 --> 00:06:58,919 Speaker 1: she grew up with her younger sister, Princess Kako, and 94 00:06:59,000 --> 00:07:03,720 Speaker 1: later her younger brother, Prince Hishato. Born when she was fifteen, 95 00:07:04,800 --> 00:07:09,320 Speaker 1: she attended Gakushin School, originally designed solely to educate the 96 00:07:09,360 --> 00:07:14,400 Speaker 1: imperial children and children of aristocracy, for her primary through 97 00:07:14,560 --> 00:07:19,440 Speaker 1: high school years. The Japanese public knew and saw very 98 00:07:19,480 --> 00:07:23,240 Speaker 1: little of the princess during that time, with images of 99 00:07:23,280 --> 00:07:28,640 Speaker 1: her being released only through official palace channels. That changed 100 00:07:28,720 --> 00:07:33,240 Speaker 1: in two thousand and four, when she was thirteen, images 101 00:07:33,280 --> 00:07:38,160 Speaker 1: of Mako in her sailor fuko, the iconic Japanese girls' 102 00:07:38,320 --> 00:07:42,520 Speaker 1: school uniform best known to Western audiences through anime like 103 00:07:42,600 --> 00:07:48,320 Speaker 1: Sailor Moon, appeared on television. A video featuring fan art 104 00:07:48,520 --> 00:07:51,960 Speaker 1: of the princess in her uniform was uploaded on the 105 00:07:52,000 --> 00:07:56,480 Speaker 1: Tokyo based video sharing website Nico Nicoduga and attracted over 106 00:07:56,560 --> 00:08:00,720 Speaker 1: a quarter of a million views and eighty six thousand comments. 107 00:08:01,480 --> 00:08:06,320 Speaker 1: When asked for their comment, the somewhat befuddled Imperial Household 108 00:08:06,360 --> 00:08:10,880 Speaker 1: Agency said they were unsure how to respond as the 109 00:08:11,000 --> 00:08:15,040 Speaker 1: video quote did not seem to be derogatory towards either 110 00:08:15,160 --> 00:08:20,480 Speaker 1: the princess or the imperial family. A very modern princess story. 111 00:08:21,880 --> 00:08:25,160 Speaker 1: In twenty eleven, Macho came of age when she turned 112 00:08:25,240 --> 00:08:29,800 Speaker 1: twenty and began attending official events as an adult member 113 00:08:29,840 --> 00:08:33,560 Speaker 1: of the royal family. She had already privately been working 114 00:08:33,600 --> 00:08:38,000 Speaker 1: as a volunteer in areas affected by the devastating twenty 115 00:08:38,200 --> 00:08:41,640 Speaker 1: eleven earthquake and tsunami, going so far as to use 116 00:08:41,679 --> 00:08:45,320 Speaker 1: a nickname to hide her true identity, although some people 117 00:08:45,400 --> 00:08:50,000 Speaker 1: still recognized her. During this time, she also began studying 118 00:08:50,200 --> 00:08:55,480 Speaker 1: liberal arts at Tokyo's International Christian University, and she studied 119 00:08:55,520 --> 00:08:59,840 Speaker 1: abroad for a semester in Dublin. When the Palace announced 120 00:08:59,880 --> 00:09:04,200 Speaker 1: her intentions, a spokesman was apparently asked if she would 121 00:09:04,240 --> 00:09:08,360 Speaker 1: be allowed to go out with Irish boys. Quote that's 122 00:09:08,400 --> 00:09:11,600 Speaker 1: not the sort of irresponsible question I can answer, he 123 00:09:11,800 --> 00:09:16,920 Speaker 1: replied curtly. Her time in Ireland was clearly inspiring. She 124 00:09:17,040 --> 00:09:20,200 Speaker 1: went on to study abroad for another semester at the 125 00:09:20,360 --> 00:09:25,720 Speaker 1: University of Edinburgh, and after graduating from the International Christian 126 00:09:25,920 --> 00:09:30,000 Speaker 1: University in twenty fourteen with her degree in Art and 127 00:09:30,200 --> 00:09:34,240 Speaker 1: Cultural Heritage, she went on to receive her Masters in Art, 128 00:09:34,360 --> 00:09:39,080 Speaker 1: Museum and Gallery Studies from the University of Leicester. She 129 00:09:39,200 --> 00:09:41,720 Speaker 1: put her degree to use when she took a position 130 00:09:41,840 --> 00:09:46,760 Speaker 1: as a project researcher at the University of Tokyo's University 131 00:09:46,920 --> 00:09:51,200 Speaker 1: Museum in twenty sixteen. It was during her time at 132 00:09:51,280 --> 00:09:55,199 Speaker 1: university that she met her future husband, K Komoro. They 133 00:09:55,200 --> 00:09:58,959 Speaker 1: were both students at the Christian University, but they met 134 00:09:59,040 --> 00:10:02,560 Speaker 1: attending a study a broad event at a Tokyo restaurant. 135 00:10:03,280 --> 00:10:06,120 Speaker 1: K was, by all means a normal student with no 136 00:10:06,440 --> 00:10:10,960 Speaker 1: royal ties, unless you count his title as quote Prince 137 00:10:11,040 --> 00:10:13,760 Speaker 1: of the Sea, a role he once played in a 138 00:10:13,880 --> 00:10:18,840 Speaker 1: tourism campaign for the city of Fujisawa. The couple has 139 00:10:18,960 --> 00:10:22,800 Speaker 1: kept the details of their courtship private, but we know 140 00:10:23,080 --> 00:10:27,280 Speaker 1: the Sea Prince proposed over dinner in twenty thirteen, and 141 00:10:27,320 --> 00:10:31,400 Speaker 1: then the couple maintained the relationship long distance while Mako 142 00:10:31,520 --> 00:10:36,680 Speaker 1: was in the UK. The engagement wouldn't be formally announced 143 00:10:36,760 --> 00:10:40,199 Speaker 1: until Nako returned and settled back into life in Japan 144 00:10:40,679 --> 00:10:45,320 Speaker 1: in twenty seventeen. Quote. I've been aware since my childhood 145 00:10:45,360 --> 00:10:48,560 Speaker 1: that I would lose royal status once I married, Macho 146 00:10:48,640 --> 00:10:51,880 Speaker 1: said at a press conference. While I've worked to help 147 00:10:51,920 --> 00:10:55,280 Speaker 1: the emperor and fulfill duties as a royal family member 148 00:10:55,320 --> 00:10:58,400 Speaker 1: as much as I can. I've been cherishing my own 149 00:10:58,480 --> 00:11:03,439 Speaker 1: life twenty five. This meant Macho was only a quote 150 00:11:03,679 --> 00:11:07,960 Speaker 1: official working member of the royal family for five years. 151 00:11:08,760 --> 00:11:13,160 Speaker 1: With the Emperor's approval, the princess introduced the country to 152 00:11:13,200 --> 00:11:16,920 Speaker 1: her future husband, a twenty five year old law firm 153 00:11:17,000 --> 00:11:21,480 Speaker 1: employee with no historic royal ties. She told the world 154 00:11:21,679 --> 00:11:25,440 Speaker 1: that she first fell for his quote smile like the sun, 155 00:11:26,360 --> 00:11:30,160 Speaker 1: he told them. She watched over him quietly, quote like 156 00:11:30,360 --> 00:11:33,959 Speaker 1: the moon. They planned to be married the next year. 157 00:11:34,679 --> 00:11:39,839 Speaker 1: The public response was initially positive, supportive of the princess 158 00:11:39,840 --> 00:11:43,760 Speaker 1: and her love story, but as we all know, that 159 00:11:43,920 --> 00:11:49,120 Speaker 1: can change on a dime. The engagement of Macho and 160 00:11:49,200 --> 00:11:52,679 Speaker 1: k was doomed to be plagued by concerns and scandals 161 00:11:53,080 --> 00:11:58,040 Speaker 1: that didn't actually involve the couple as individuals. The announcement 162 00:11:58,120 --> 00:12:01,840 Speaker 1: that Macho'd be leaving the royal fam family reignited the 163 00:12:02,200 --> 00:12:06,440 Speaker 1: now decades old debate as to whether or not royal 164 00:12:06,600 --> 00:12:11,000 Speaker 1: women should be allowed to retain their royal status upon 165 00:12:11,160 --> 00:12:15,679 Speaker 1: marriage and even potentially gain positions in the line of succession. 166 00:12:16,400 --> 00:12:19,760 Speaker 1: At the time of Mako's announcement, a poll from Kyoto 167 00:12:19,840 --> 00:12:23,720 Speaker 1: News showed that eighty six percent of those surveyed said 168 00:12:23,760 --> 00:12:27,120 Speaker 1: they were in favor of allowing a female to reign, 169 00:12:27,679 --> 00:12:31,840 Speaker 1: and about two thirds said that sons or daughters born 170 00:12:32,000 --> 00:12:35,920 Speaker 1: of royal women should also be allowed to ascend to 171 00:12:36,080 --> 00:12:40,880 Speaker 1: the throne. Still, for those in disagreement, the royal family 172 00:12:41,000 --> 00:12:44,920 Speaker 1: is one of the last remaining embodiments of tradition in Japan, 173 00:12:45,520 --> 00:12:50,640 Speaker 1: and any change within it is highly feared. The debate 174 00:12:50,800 --> 00:12:55,120 Speaker 1: was especially heated because at the same time Emperor Akihido 175 00:12:55,160 --> 00:12:59,160 Speaker 1: had given Macho and k his blessing, the Japanese government 176 00:12:59,640 --> 00:13:05,160 Speaker 1: was considering his request to abdicate. There was no legal 177 00:13:05,400 --> 00:13:08,960 Speaker 1: precedent for him to do so, and so he publicly 178 00:13:09,080 --> 00:13:13,240 Speaker 1: asked Parliament to amend the laws so he could pass 179 00:13:13,320 --> 00:13:17,600 Speaker 1: the title on to his eldest son. That law was passed, 180 00:13:18,040 --> 00:13:24,680 Speaker 1: and in twenty nineteen, Mako's uncle Naruhito, ascended to the throne. 181 00:13:24,920 --> 00:13:28,720 Speaker 1: There's a practical argument for letting women remain in the 182 00:13:28,880 --> 00:13:33,720 Speaker 1: royal family and or reign themselves. The line of succession 183 00:13:34,240 --> 00:13:39,040 Speaker 1: is incredibly short. The current line of succession is Mako's uncle, 184 00:13:39,640 --> 00:13:44,439 Speaker 1: then Mako's father, and then Prince Hisahito, Her seventeen year 185 00:13:44,440 --> 00:13:49,720 Speaker 1: old younger brother. That's it three people. It's clear that 186 00:13:49,760 --> 00:13:54,319 Speaker 1: the monarchy is not sustainable with the current laws of succession, 187 00:13:54,920 --> 00:13:57,520 Speaker 1: but the debate as to how the problem will be 188 00:13:57,720 --> 00:14:04,040 Speaker 1: solved rages on. The other public scandal was centered around 189 00:14:04,360 --> 00:14:09,840 Speaker 1: Kay's mother. As one would expect, the Japanese press dug 190 00:14:10,120 --> 00:14:15,280 Speaker 1: into his background, particularly his family. Less than a year 191 00:14:15,360 --> 00:14:20,280 Speaker 1: after the engagement was announced, tabloids reported that his mother, 192 00:14:20,760 --> 00:14:24,560 Speaker 1: a widow who raised him by herself, had borrowed four 193 00:14:24,640 --> 00:14:28,720 Speaker 1: million yen about thirty six thousand dollars from an ex 194 00:14:28,800 --> 00:14:32,320 Speaker 1: boyfriend and never paid it back. Part of the money 195 00:14:32,480 --> 00:14:36,800 Speaker 1: was reported to have paid for her son's schooling. Though 196 00:14:37,000 --> 00:14:40,440 Speaker 1: Kay himself had nothing to do with this, that didn't 197 00:14:40,480 --> 00:14:43,360 Speaker 1: matter in the eyes of the public. In a culture 198 00:14:43,400 --> 00:14:47,120 Speaker 1: that puts a lot of weight on family, he was 199 00:14:47,160 --> 00:14:51,960 Speaker 1: no longer considered princely. He was a gold digger looking 200 00:14:52,000 --> 00:14:54,880 Speaker 1: to use Mako in the royal family for their wealth, 201 00:14:55,480 --> 00:14:58,200 Speaker 1: never mind the fact that by marrying him she would 202 00:14:58,200 --> 00:15:02,440 Speaker 1: be leaving the royal family, who are not independently wealthy. 203 00:15:03,360 --> 00:15:07,120 Speaker 1: It was such an uproar that the wedding was delayed. 204 00:15:07,840 --> 00:15:10,800 Speaker 1: Mako told the press quote, I wish to think about 205 00:15:10,840 --> 00:15:15,200 Speaker 1: marriage more deeply and concretely. Shortly after that, in the 206 00:15:15,240 --> 00:15:18,880 Speaker 1: summer of twenty eighteen, Fordham Law announced that Kay would 207 00:15:18,880 --> 00:15:21,680 Speaker 1: be attending their school in the fall on a full 208 00:15:21,880 --> 00:15:26,520 Speaker 1: ride merit scholarship. Some speculated that he was being sent 209 00:15:26,600 --> 00:15:30,440 Speaker 1: away or that he had somehow manipulated his way into 210 00:15:30,440 --> 00:15:35,360 Speaker 1: the scholarship. In a news conference that same year, Miko's father, 211 00:15:35,600 --> 00:15:40,840 Speaker 1: Crown Prince Akashino, said he quote respected the desire of 212 00:15:40,880 --> 00:15:44,720 Speaker 1: the couple to wed, but that an official ceremony would 213 00:15:44,720 --> 00:15:49,760 Speaker 1: not take place unless the public approved. In twenty twenty, 214 00:15:49,800 --> 00:15:54,360 Speaker 1: at Akashino's urging, Kay released a twenty eight page document 215 00:15:54,800 --> 00:15:59,360 Speaker 1: explaining his mother's loan, and his lawyer later vowed that 216 00:15:59,400 --> 00:16:03,480 Speaker 1: mister Komor would pay it back. That didn't do much 217 00:16:03,560 --> 00:16:08,560 Speaker 1: to change public opinion of him. Things actually worsened when 218 00:16:08,720 --> 00:16:12,800 Speaker 1: photos of him appeared in New York with God Forbid 219 00:16:13,320 --> 00:16:17,840 Speaker 1: a ponytail. He was torn to shreds on social media, 220 00:16:18,240 --> 00:16:22,120 Speaker 1: with many believing the look was unkempt and unbecoming of 221 00:16:22,160 --> 00:16:28,040 Speaker 1: a princess's future husband. The engagement would remain in limbo 222 00:16:28,320 --> 00:16:32,640 Speaker 1: for years. The Emperor and Empress shared that the public 223 00:16:32,760 --> 00:16:36,800 Speaker 1: would quote wait for Princess Mako to make her own decisions. 224 00:16:37,600 --> 00:16:41,600 Speaker 1: It wasn't until twenty twenty one that the public finally 225 00:16:41,840 --> 00:16:45,920 Speaker 1: learned what that decision was. Mako and Kay were still 226 00:16:46,240 --> 00:16:50,360 Speaker 1: very much together and they would finally be married. The 227 00:16:50,480 --> 00:16:53,440 Speaker 1: lead of the New York Times article announcing they were 228 00:16:53,560 --> 00:16:57,680 Speaker 1: finally to be wed read quote, anyone who dreams of 229 00:16:57,720 --> 00:17:01,760 Speaker 1: being a princess should probably have a chat with Princess 230 00:17:01,800 --> 00:17:07,280 Speaker 1: Mako of Japan. Normally, a princess leaving the royal family 231 00:17:07,440 --> 00:17:12,199 Speaker 1: is entitled to official ceremonies marking her departure and a 232 00:17:12,359 --> 00:17:16,480 Speaker 1: dowry of about one point four million yen to start 233 00:17:16,520 --> 00:17:20,880 Speaker 1: her new life. Mico turned it all down. It made 234 00:17:20,880 --> 00:17:24,280 Speaker 1: her the first female member of the royal family to 235 00:17:24,400 --> 00:17:29,000 Speaker 1: refuse a dowry post World War II. In announcing why 236 00:17:29,040 --> 00:17:33,360 Speaker 1: there wouldn't be a royal wedding, the Imperial Household Agency 237 00:17:33,480 --> 00:17:37,680 Speaker 1: explained it was quote because their marriage is not celebrated 238 00:17:37,760 --> 00:17:41,920 Speaker 1: by many people. At the same time, it was also 239 00:17:41,920 --> 00:17:46,280 Speaker 1: announced that the princess had been diagnosed with complex post 240 00:17:46,280 --> 00:17:51,399 Speaker 1: traumatic stress disorder due to the public scrutiny quote, she 241 00:17:51,520 --> 00:17:54,640 Speaker 1: felt like her dignity as a human being had been trampled. 242 00:17:54,680 --> 00:17:58,919 Speaker 1: On Her psychiatrist said in a news conference, she thinks 243 00:17:58,960 --> 00:18:04,880 Speaker 1: of herself as so without value. Mako's CPTSD is part 244 00:18:04,920 --> 00:18:07,760 Speaker 1: of a sad history of women in the Japanese royal 245 00:18:07,840 --> 00:18:13,200 Speaker 1: family developing mental health struggles. In the nineteen sixties, Empress 246 00:18:13,280 --> 00:18:17,840 Speaker 1: Michiko lost the ability to speak for seven months and 247 00:18:17,960 --> 00:18:23,479 Speaker 1: continued to suffer from nervous breakdowns, mouth ulcers, nosebleeds, and 248 00:18:23,720 --> 00:18:27,640 Speaker 1: more physical complications due to the pressure of her position. 249 00:18:28,320 --> 00:18:32,560 Speaker 1: Her daughter in law, the current Empress Masako, retreated from 250 00:18:32,600 --> 00:18:35,520 Speaker 1: public events for a period of time beginning in two 251 00:18:35,600 --> 00:18:40,760 Speaker 1: thousand and four, after facing intense scrutiny for failing to 252 00:18:40,800 --> 00:18:45,960 Speaker 1: produce a male air. She had previously suffered a miscarriage. 253 00:18:46,160 --> 00:18:50,840 Speaker 1: Doctor Kristin Roebuck, an assistant professor at Cornell and historian 254 00:18:50,920 --> 00:18:56,760 Speaker 1: of modern Japan, explained this unique crisis to the cut quote, 255 00:18:57,160 --> 00:19:00,560 Speaker 1: whether you're marrying into the royal family like the current 256 00:19:00,600 --> 00:19:04,400 Speaker 1: Empress did, or you're marrying out of the royal family 257 00:19:04,600 --> 00:19:07,960 Speaker 1: like the former Princess Meko did, It's always understood in 258 00:19:08,040 --> 00:19:11,480 Speaker 1: Japan that the women are a temporary part of the 259 00:19:11,560 --> 00:19:14,760 Speaker 1: royal family, and so they just don't get the same 260 00:19:14,880 --> 00:19:21,159 Speaker 1: respect end quote. It's a complex task to discuss Japanese 261 00:19:21,359 --> 00:19:24,800 Speaker 1: gender politics, and it's not something we can give enough 262 00:19:24,840 --> 00:19:29,240 Speaker 1: time to today. But Western listeners might see parallels between 263 00:19:29,320 --> 00:19:35,639 Speaker 1: Mago's story and Megan Markles. Intense, often singularly vicious scrutiny 264 00:19:35,680 --> 00:19:39,240 Speaker 1: of women entering or leaving the royal family is not 265 00:19:39,560 --> 00:19:43,760 Speaker 1: unique to any one culture. The idea of a royal 266 00:19:43,880 --> 00:19:47,760 Speaker 1: family and everything it stands for, has always been threatened 267 00:19:48,080 --> 00:19:51,520 Speaker 1: by a woman who refuses to conform to and comply 268 00:19:51,680 --> 00:19:56,000 Speaker 1: with the pressures of both the family and the public, 269 00:19:56,520 --> 00:20:01,800 Speaker 1: and every tradition and standard that the royal family stands for. 270 00:20:02,880 --> 00:20:06,680 Speaker 1: On October twenty sixth, twenty twenty one, Maco and Kay 271 00:20:06,880 --> 00:20:10,520 Speaker 1: simply registered their marriage in Tokyo and held a press 272 00:20:10,520 --> 00:20:15,040 Speaker 1: conference afterward. Then, Mako began the process of obtaining her 273 00:20:15,119 --> 00:20:18,680 Speaker 1: first passport so the couple could move to New York. 274 00:20:19,280 --> 00:20:22,399 Speaker 1: The couple now live in a one bedroom apartment in 275 00:20:22,440 --> 00:20:26,439 Speaker 1: the Hell's Kitchen neighborhood. Kay eventually passed the bar exam 276 00:20:26,560 --> 00:20:29,560 Speaker 1: on his third try and is now an associate at 277 00:20:29,600 --> 00:20:33,639 Speaker 1: a New York firm. As of April twenty twenty two, 278 00:20:33,800 --> 00:20:37,520 Speaker 1: Mako was working as a volunteer at the Metropolitan Museum 279 00:20:37,640 --> 00:20:42,440 Speaker 1: of Art assisting curators in the Asian Art department. If 280 00:20:42,480 --> 00:20:46,200 Speaker 1: being an unpaid intern isn't the New York City experience, 281 00:20:46,600 --> 00:20:50,720 Speaker 1: I don't know what is. The most recent photos of 282 00:20:50,760 --> 00:20:54,960 Speaker 1: the couple are paparazzi shots from twenty twenty three of 283 00:20:55,040 --> 00:20:59,880 Speaker 1: the pair riding the bus together, his arm around her shoulder. 284 00:21:04,440 --> 00:21:08,520 Speaker 1: That's the story of the Princess of Japan marrying a commoner. 285 00:21:09,040 --> 00:21:12,520 Speaker 1: But keep listening after a brief sponsor break to hear 286 00:21:13,000 --> 00:21:18,200 Speaker 1: a slightly more dramatic story that happened to another female 287 00:21:18,200 --> 00:21:30,239 Speaker 1: member of the Japanese royal family. Meko was not the 288 00:21:30,240 --> 00:21:33,880 Speaker 1: first former Japanese princess to move to the United States 289 00:21:33,960 --> 00:21:39,560 Speaker 1: after marriage. Takako Shimazu, the youngest daughter of Emperor Hirohito, 290 00:21:40,160 --> 00:21:43,720 Speaker 1: was once known as Princess Suga, but her marriage to 291 00:21:43,840 --> 00:21:46,959 Speaker 1: a banker led to her spending two years in an 292 00:21:47,000 --> 00:21:51,320 Speaker 1: apartment in Washington, d c. When she returned to Japan, 293 00:21:51,880 --> 00:21:55,920 Speaker 1: she faced criticism for taking a position as a consultant 294 00:21:56,400 --> 00:22:00,280 Speaker 1: at an exclusive store in Tokyo, making her the first 295 00:22:00,440 --> 00:22:04,639 Speaker 1: member of the imperial family to hold a commercial job. 296 00:22:05,560 --> 00:22:09,920 Speaker 1: Those who criticized her life for being too ordinary may 297 00:22:09,960 --> 00:22:16,000 Speaker 1: have been forgetting one extraordinary incident, before Tacaco left for Washington, 298 00:22:16,480 --> 00:22:22,080 Speaker 1: she narrowly escaped a kidnapping attempt by six men posing 299 00:22:22,160 --> 00:22:26,240 Speaker 1: as bill collectors. They attempted to gain entry to her home, 300 00:22:26,640 --> 00:22:30,680 Speaker 1: which they knew the location of thanks to extensive media coverage, 301 00:22:31,320 --> 00:22:35,639 Speaker 1: and unlike Mako, they knew Tacaco had not turned down 302 00:22:35,720 --> 00:22:40,400 Speaker 1: the dowry princesses are entitled to upon leaving the royal family. 303 00:22:41,480 --> 00:22:45,480 Speaker 1: The plan was not foiled by a sting operation or 304 00:22:45,560 --> 00:22:49,600 Speaker 1: a vigilante swooping in, but rather one of the potential 305 00:22:49,720 --> 00:22:53,320 Speaker 1: kidnappers himself, who tipped off the press that there was 306 00:22:53,359 --> 00:22:57,840 Speaker 1: a plan to kidnap the princess. A judge ultimately ruled 307 00:22:57,920 --> 00:23:01,320 Speaker 1: that the plan didn't get far enough to constitute an 308 00:23:01,320 --> 00:23:06,240 Speaker 1: attempted kidnapping, but the men were arrested for trespassing and 309 00:23:06,400 --> 00:23:10,879 Speaker 1: illegal possession of weapons and sentenced to prison for terms 310 00:23:10,960 --> 00:23:14,800 Speaker 1: ranging from eight months to three years. No one said 311 00:23:15,000 --> 00:23:27,000 Speaker 1: being a princess, or even a former princess, was easy. 312 00:23:32,080 --> 00:23:36,240 Speaker 1: Noble Blood is a production of iHeartRadio and Grimm and 313 00:23:36,280 --> 00:23:40,080 Speaker 1: Mild from Aaron Mankey. Noble Blood is hosted by me 314 00:23:40,359 --> 00:23:45,320 Speaker 1: Danish Forts with additional writing and researching by Hannah Johnston, 315 00:23:45,680 --> 00:23:51,119 Speaker 1: Hannah Zewick, Courtney Sender, Julia Milani, and Armand Cassam. The 316 00:23:51,200 --> 00:23:55,320 Speaker 1: show is edited and produced by Noemi Griffin and rima 317 00:23:55,560 --> 00:24:01,159 Speaker 1: Ill Kali, with supervising producer Josh Thain and executive producers 318 00:24:01,200 --> 00:24:05,840 Speaker 1: Aaron Manke, Alex Williams, and Matt Frederick. For more podcasts 319 00:24:05,880 --> 00:24:11,360 Speaker 1: from iHeartRadio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever 320 00:24:11,440 --> 00:24:12,840 Speaker 1: you listen to your favorite shows.