Prince Hisahito of Japan, 19, Makes Banquet Debut 4 Years After Sister Left Royal Life to Marry Commoner

Janine HenniWed, May 27, 2026 at 7:53 PM UTC

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Prince Hisahito toasts during a banquet to welcome President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the Philippines at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on May 27, 2026
Credit: The Yomiuri Shimbun via AP Images -

Prince Hisahito attended his first imperial banquet, marking a significant step into the royal spotlight

The banquet welcomed the president of the Philippines, and Hisahito attended after his college classes

His sister, the former Princess Mako, left royal life in 2021 to marry a commoner and now lives in the U.S.

Prince Hisahito of Japan just had a significant royal first.

On May 27, Prince Hisahito, 19, attended his first imperial banquet at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo to help welcome President Ferdinand Marcos Jr. of the Philippines and his wife, first lady Liza Araneta-Marcos.

The diplomatic dinner marked an exciting milestone for Hisahito, serving as his first time attending an event welcoming a state guest, Jiji Press reported.

The night out served as a further step into the royal spotlight for Prince Hisahito, who is second in line to the Chrysanthemum Throne.

Prince Hisahito (right) at the Imperial Palace banquet on May 27, 2026.
Credit: The Yomiuri Shimbun via AP Images

The prince is a second-year student at the University of Tsukuba's College of Biological Sciences, School of Life and Environmental Sciences, and he reportedly attended the royal event after his classes wrapped for the day. Naomasa Yoshida, grand master of the Crown Prince's Household, said that Hisahito was able to go as the banquet did not interfere with his coursework.

The Imperial Household Agency added that Prince Hisahito's sisters, the former Princess Mako, 34, and Princess Kako, 31, also attended these types of events while attending college, according to Jiji Press.

Prince Hisahito is the only son of Crown Prince Akishino and Crown Princess Akishino, and he is an expected successor to the male-only Chrysanthemum Throne. He is the nephew of Japan's current royal ruler, Emperor Naruhito, and his family made headlines when his sister Mako exited the royal fold several years ago.

Princess Kako, Crown Prince Akishino, Crown Princess Akishino and Highness Prince Hisahito in a photo taken at home in the early summer of 2025.
Credit: Imperial Household Agency

In October 2021, the emperor's niece surrendered her royal status to marry her longtime love and former classmate, Kei Komuro.

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The two got engaged in December 2013 after a year of dating but did not announce their intention to wed until September 2017. The pair planned to wed in November 2018 but postponed the plans amid intense backlash to reports that Komuro's mother was locked in a financial dispute with her former fiancé, who alleged that the mother and son owed him money, the BBC reported.

Against that backdrop, Mako's father, Crown Prince Akishino, withheld his approval of their union, and the couple postponed their plans to marry. The Crown Prince, 60, eventually approved their marriage plans in 2020, the BBC said, and they tied the knot in a subdued ceremony at the local ward office the following year.

Mako gave up her royal titles to marry Kei, as Japanese law requires a princess to "leave the imperial family upon marriage to a commoner." She also turned down a $1.3 million payout from the Japanese government, declining the payment traditionally given to women who lose their royal status when they marry.

Kei Komuro and Princess Mako during a press conference to announce their marriage registration at Grand Arc Hotel in Tokyo, Japan on October 26, 2021.
Credit: SIPA Press/Nicolas Datiche/Pool/Anadolu Agency/Getty

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The former princess, who became Mako Komuro on her wedding day, emphasized that their marriage was the start of a fresh chapter during a press conference that followed their nuptials.

"We will be starting a new life. I am sure we will encounter difficulties along the way. But just as we have until now, I want to continue joining forces [with Kei] and walking together side by side," Mako told the media then.

A month after their marriage, the couple moved to New York, where Kei works as a lawyer. In May 2025, the Imperial Household Agency confirmed that the couple welcomed their first child, though the baby's name, gender and birth date were not disclosed.

In April, the New York Post reported that Mako and Kei had moved to Fairfield County, Connecticut, and published photos of them shopping with their child.

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”