Japanese Princess Mako quietly married a commoner, Kei Komuro, costing Mako her royal status. She has taken her husband's surname — the first time she has had a family name. Mako, 30, said the marriage — delayed three years and called unfit by some — "was a necessary choice to live while cherishing our hearts.” Mako is a niece of Emperor Naruhito. She and Komuro, who were classmates at Tokyo’s International Christian University, announced in September 2017 that they intended to marry the following year, but a financial dispute involving his mother surfaced two months later and the wedding was suspended. Komuro, 30, left for New York in 2018 to study law and only returned to Japan last month. The couple will move together to New York to start a new life. 📸: STR, JIJI Press, @afpphoto, @apnews, @afpphoto via @gettyimages #princessmako #princessmakoofjapan #japan