When Princess Sayako of Japan marries on Tuesday she will become plain Mrs. Yoshiki Kuroda. Can she adjust to life outside the Palace walls?

The Princess is the first emperor’s daughter to marry in 45 years and as required by law, upon her marriage she will have to leave the Imperial family and give up her royal titles. 

Oh, the things we do for love!

It’s been reported that the Empress of Japan, who prior to her marriage was a commoner, has taught her daughter rudimentary cooking and cleaning, in order to prepare her adulthood. Unfortunately this isn’t going to prepare her for reality.

After all, it’s not as glamorous as it looks.

Buying groceries, putting out the garbage, taking public transportation, vacuuming, cleaning toilets, doing dishes. Does she know how to do any of this? What about cooking? They can’t live on love alone.

It’s also fraught with all sorts of dangers: electrical and gas appliances, toxic and corrosive cleaning supplies, sharp utensils…

Thankfully, she won’t be completely thrown into the car pool; the government is giving her a one- time gift of $1.3 million dollars to ease the transition into her new life. This amount is the maximum allowed by law, but isn’t enough to buy a house in Tokyo. Although she has never had to carry money, she will need to look after the family finances, on her husband’s government salary.

She’d better start clipping coupons.

Then there are the complex and subtle nuances of dealing with the mother-in-law. Deference will no longer protect her in territorial arguments over how to cut vegetables, do laundry, and fold socks. Yes, it all awaits her.

Many women have the fantasy of becoming a princess. I don’t know of anyone who dreams of being a housewife. Good luck to the new Mrs. Kuroda.

She'll need it.

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