| The Three Words That Bring Hope For Princess Masako |
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| Written by Joanne Leyland | |||||||||||||||||||
| Tuesday, 07 February 2006 | |||||||||||||||||||
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While Diana, Princess of Wales unquestionably suffered difficulties settling into her role as wife of the heir to the throne, it could be argued that she was somewhat fortunate in comparison to Princess Masako of Japan. Since her marriage to Crown Prince Naruhito on June 9th 1993, Princess Masako has been under constant pressure to produce the longed for male heir. It is a pressure which has quite literally destroyed the wellbeing of the once hearty and healthy diplomat's daughter. It's therefore the case that the announcement that the heir's brother, 40-year-old Prince Akishino and his wife Princess Kiko, 39, are expecting a third child is more significant than the nature of the Press Release suggests. It was over eight years before the young woman born Masako Owada finally produced a child, having previously miscarried, a situation which was blamed on media pressure. Although the birth of a healthy child, Princess Aiko, in December 2001 was celebrated, the pressure on Masako was only just beginning as, under current Japanese law, a girl has no right to the throne. Indeed, so strict are the laws, the only daughter of Emperor Akihito and Empress Michiko recently had to leave the official Royal Court following her November 2005 marriage to government worker Yoshiki Kuroda, the reason being he is a commoner and she became such as his wife. Akishino and Kiko already have two daughters, aged fourteen and twelve. It is widely hoped that the apparent propensity in the royal genes for producing girls will end with Princess Kiko offering the country an end to the seemingly interminable demand for a male heir. Despite the fact the Crown Prince does have a child, because of complex laws (known as agnatic primogeniture) four-year-old Princess Aiko will automatically move down the line of succession if the current Emperor's second son and his wife produce a boy. If Masako does fail to produce a male heir, it will be Akishino's son who will ultimately succeed his grandfather, Emperor Akihito and his Uncle, Crown Prince Naruhito, as Japan's 127th Emperor.  The fate of Princess Masako seems to confirm that the famously repressed Imperial Court is no place for a young woman to live. Masako's own mother-in-law, the Empress, has also suffered health problems, the most publicised of these being when she reportedly lost the power of speech, a situation which was blamed on the appearance of rare media criticism. As happened with Diana, Crown Princess Masako has been the victime of an often vicious whispering campaign, with those close to her husband's Court regularly claiming she was temperemental and even unstable. Following the announcement of the engagement of the diplomat's daughter to the heir to the throne in January 1993, newspapers and TV stations around the world were quick to make comparisons with the 'Lady Di' phenomenon of 1981. Young women throughout Japan soon began to copy the new royal star's fashions, even her hairstyle. Worse, the gentle Masako became an instant target for the paparazzi. As reportedly occurred in Charles and Diana's household in the early years of their marriage, following her betrothal Princess Masako began to sack longstanding members of her husband's Court. She was even said to have become estranged from many of her own family and friends as she sank deeper and deeper into the depression which would ultimately put huge strain on her relationship with Naruhito. Despite it having been apparent for years that the Crown Princess was struggling to cope, it was only in July 2004 that the royal Court finally acknowledged that Masako was indeed ill. However, the statement that she was suffering a form of mental illness came only because the Emperor's daughter-in-law had been missing from public life for eight months. The 'disappearance' of Masako from public view precipitated much gossip and innuendo and it was clear, even to famously tight-lipped royal officials, that this couldn't continue without an explanation being offered to both media and public alike. The 'Grand Master' of the Crown Prince and Crown Princess's household finally revealed that Masako had problems described as "mental and physical weariness". According to Hideki Hayashida: "The main cause is...stress stemming from...her special status as Crown Princess, problems related to her pregnancy and miscarriage, and her busy everyday life in which it is hard to draw a line between public and private matters."  Of course, nobody will ever know what the loyal and dignified Princess Masako is thinking right now, such is the barrier between herself and the 'real' world. We can only imagine, though, that she more than anyone will be hoping and praying that her sister-in-law does give birth to a son later this year, thereby removing the burden of the past decade which has done so much damage to her own physical and mental state. It may also end the relatively recent suggestions of those who cruelly believe Naruhito should ditch his wife and find another woman by whom he could try again for the longed for son and heir. If (and it's a big 'if', as keep in mind she has already produced two girls) Princess Kiko does give birth to a boy, it would also mean Princess Masako's daughter, Princess Aiko, would be able to enjoy a much more liberated life than if she were to make history by becoming Japan's first female ruler. After all, look at what life on the periphery of the Chrysanthemum throne has done for the little girl's mother... Please feel welcome to offer your opinions on this and any other royal story by visiting our Royal Forum or via our Comments section below. Comment on this article
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