Society

Princess Kako stars in birthday portraits, embracing elevated role after sister's royal exit

TOKYO, Dec 30 (people.com) - Princess Kako had a busy year of engagements, taking over many of the duties of the former Princess Mako.

The Japanese princess turned 28 on Thursday, and the Imperial Household Agency released new portraits of her to celebrate. In the autumnal photos, Kako smiled and posed on the grounds of the Akasaka imperial property residence in Tokyo, where many members of the Japanese royal family live.

According to The Japan Times, Kako embraced a heavier royal workload throughout the past year after her elder sister, the former Princess Mako, left the royal family to marry Kei Komuro, her commoner boyfriend who she met in college a decade ago.

With local coronavirus-related restrictions officially lifted, Kako attended an urban greenery fair, a high school sign-language contest, Girl Scout events and more this summer and fall, the Japan Times reported. She also became patron of the Japan Tennis Association and the Japan Kogei Association, a cultural preservation group, in her sister's stead. ...continue reading

Source: ANNnewsCH

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