Princess Aiko, the only child of Emperor Naruhito and Empress Masako, turned 19 on Tuesday while attending online classes at her university as a first-year student amid the novel coronavirus pandemic.

The princess, enrolled in Gakushuin University in Tokyo, has been taking part in virtual lectures since the start of the academic year in April. In October, she visited the school and met her professors and classmates face to face for the first time, according to the Imperial Household Agency.

"I cherish the joy of gaining knowledge and would like to participate in a lot of things in university," she told reporters at the time.

The princess, who is studying Japanese literature, has also been taking language courses in English and Spanish, as well as sports and health sciences, according to the agency.

At the school, where her father also studied, she joined a campus tour and attended a briefing session on future courses.

While in high school, the princess expressed interest in classical Japanese literature.