http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-39957217
A member of Japan's royal family, Princess Mako, is to surrender her royal status by marrying a commoner.
The 25-year-old eldest granddaughter of Emperor Akihito will become engaged to law firm worker Kei Komuro, also 25, whom she met while studying together.
Japan's imperial law requires a princess to leave the royal family after marrying a commoner.
The move is expected to reignite debate on royal succession, with the emperor also possibly abdicating soon.
The Imperial Household told local media that plans were under way for the princess's engagement.
The engagement will only be official after a ceremonial exchange of gifts, local media said.
Public broadcaster NHK said the wedding is expected to take place next year.
Asked about their engagement plans, Mr Komuro on Wednesday was quoted as saying: "Now is not the time for me to comment, but I want to speak at the right time."
Has this ever happened before?
Yes, Princess Mako's aunt Princess Sayako married a commoner in 2005 - the first time a Japanese royal became a commoner.
Originally posted by KazetNagorraSo she is having a Makover.
It's odd that this is so newsworthy. Really, we should be denouncing any/all people who do NOT renounce their noble titles, which are surely a relic of history that is a massive embarrassment to humanity as a whole.
Of course back hundreds of years ago royalty did do a function of keeping their area free from enemies mostly, obviously we don't like that kind of thing now when we can be anywhere on the globe in a day or so, bit different from 400 years ago when even a 50 Km trip was an undertaking. 5000 Km, a national debt kind of trip. So pretty much everthing was local, local king with all their associated serfs and so forth so one person had the pulse of the 'nation' as it were.
Now with internet, cell phones and such, a local warlord in Zimbabwe starts trouble, 100 million people know the next day.
The post that was quoted here has been removedThat was just a generalization but as the Wiki notes, Catholics knew and documented the slaughter. My point is 200 years ago, or even 100 years ago, NOBODY would have known the difference, all that slaughter would have gone unnoticed. Whether it is taken uncaringly or not was not my point, just that SOMEBODY would know, one cell phone email, FB page entry, something like that, and thousands of people would know at least upping the odds that anyone would give a shyte about the situation. Maybe UN gets involved, whatever. Just that NOTHING would have happened 100 years ago.