Princess Ayako of Japan and her fiance, Kei Moriya, are elbow deep in wedding plans and, as the big day approaches, the spoke publicly about their relationship and future plans for the first time Monday.
Their story features elements of a real-life fairytale and has captured the hearts and imagination of the public. Ayako chose love over her royal title to marry Moriya, who is a commoner, CNN noted.
The two met less than a year ago thanks to Ayako's mother, Princess Takamodo, who knew Moriya's parents through outreach work at a local nongovernmental organization.
Hoping that her daughter would be inspired by global welfare activities, Takamodo arranged a meeting between the two, she was just not expecting them to fall in love.
"I don't know what my mother's intentions were in introducing him to me," Ayako told reporters Monday at a press conference held at the Imperial Household Agency, The Japan Times noted.
As the two got to know each other, Ayako said an attraction was sparked.
Shortly after they met, Moriya proposed but Ayako said she needed to take some time before giving him an answer.
There was a lot for her to consider.
Japanese law stipulates that royals who marry commoners are not allowed to retain their royal status, CNN said.
The topic was highlighted last year when her cousin, Princess Mako of Japan, the eldest granddaughter of Emperor Akihito, announced plans to wed a former college classmate, heating up debate on the ever-shrinking royal family since she must become a commoner after marriage.
Ayako would also be forced to leave the Imperial Household should she marry Moriya but in the end love prevails and she decided he was worth it.
"I would like to form a warm family full of laughter," Ayako said of their hopes for the future, according to CNN. "We both have the experience of sudden loss of an irreplaceable parent, his mother for Mr. Moriya and my father for me. We would not take everyday life for granted and want to find the happiness and fun in the daily life."
The couple will be married at Tokyo's Meiji Jingu shrine on Oct. 29.
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