Japan's Princess Masako makes a Rare Public Appearence

Crown Princess Masako of Japan

ROBIN UTRECHT/PICTURE-ALLIANCE/DPA/AP

For several young girls, becoming a princess is a dream come true. But for Japan's Crown Princess Masako, someplace along the way, the fairy tale went wrong.



The 50-year-old princess, who has lived the life largely in seclusion since 2002, made headlines this week for a uncommon public appearance at an imperial banquet honoring the Netherlands' Queen Maxima as well as King Willem-Alexander.

For years, rumors have swirled about the notoriously private princess. Every young Harvard grad with a promising career as a diplomat ahead of her, the girl gave it all up to marry Crown Prince Naruhito, now 54.

And then -- she vanished from public life. Princess Masako withdrew behind the walls from the Imperial Palace, amid reports that she had suffered a nervous break down and speculation that it was the result of being unable to produce a male heir.

Japanese royal authorities have said only that she suffers from an "adjustment disorder, " though numerous speculate that depression is the real culprit.

What happened to drive this well-educated woman to self-imposed solitude? And is she finally ready to return to the public eyes?

Early Life
The child of a diplomat, Masako Owada grew up all over the world. Born within Japan, she attended daycare in Moscow, kindergarten in New York and senior high school in Massachusetts, before graduating from Harvard with a degree in Economics.

The girl future looked bright. After graduating, she moved back to Japan, where the girl studied law at the University of Tokyo to prepare for the Diplomatic Service Assessment.

That year, Masako was one of just three women to pass the examination. She joined the Foreign Ministry in 1987, heading to Oxford for a two-year post-grad study in 1988. She would not finish her thesis.

A Royal Romance
With regard to Prince Naruhito, it was as though lightning struck the first time he laid eyes upon Masako, according to reports at the time.

In 1986, the two met at a reception for Spain's Little princess Elena. Utterly smitten, he began courting her immediately.

At first, Masako was not curious. She had a life ahead of her, a future she had built packet by brick. Marrying into the Japanese royal family would mean throwing away her profession and her independence, the very essence of who she was, it was broadly reported.

But Naruhito would not be dissuaded, arguing that the royal position had been "another form of diplomacy. "

And so, after two rejected proposals, Masako lastly accepted his hand in marriage, wedding him in a traditional Japanese ceremony within 1993.

Hope bloomed among the progressives in Japan. Here was an accomplished terme conseillé, marrying into the rigid Imperial family. Could she bring about the change which Japan's ancient monarchy so desperately needed?

Japan's Princess Masako Makes a Uncommon Public Appearance| The Royals

Crown Prince Naruhito and Princess Masako within 1993

Struggles with Fertility
Unfortunately, Little princess Masako faced a challenge she never anticipated: the inability to produce an heir.

It took a little time for six years before she got pregnant for the first time and she miscarried immediately thereafter.

In 2001, their first child was finally born, reportedly by using fertility treatments. The only problem? It was a girl: Princess Aiko, now 12. And Japan, only male heirs may ascend to the throne.

Officials called within the couple to have another child. Under immense pressure from all sides, Princess Masako retreated into seclusion and the rumors of depression began.

A Return to General public Life?
Prince Naruhito, who appears totally devoted to his wife, has taken care of her from detractors, memorably saying in 2004 that the princess was "completely exhausted" from trying to fit into the royal household, which he added had "nullified her career and nullified her character. "

But over the years, other occasions appear to have driven Princess Masako further into isolation.

In 2006, her sister-in-law, Princess Kiko did what Masako couldn't and gave birth to a boy, Prince Hisahito. He is third in line to Japan's Chrysanthemum Throne.

Since then, Kiko, 48, has enjoyed a beloved-celebrity status that still eludes Masako.

"Princess Kiko was courageous to give birth to a third child in a society associated with low birthrate, " said House of Councilors president Chikage Ogi 5 years ago. "This is what women should learn from her. "

For all of her impressive achievements, Princess Masako is still, and likely will always be, defined by her inability to produce a men heir in the rigid Japanese monarchy.

Could the tragic story have a happy closing? One can only hope that this week's appearance brings more public outings, as well as hopefully, some peace for the princess.

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