I just read in the Honolulu Star Bulletin that Empress Michiko and Emperor Akihito of Japan are visiting Hawaii today. Through the years my mother (who shares a birthday with the Empress) has told me stories of the miserable lives that royalty often live. Her heart has always ached for Empress Michiko who has been treated terribly by the palace hierarchy throughout her marriage. My mother's point of view was that the palace staff looked down on the Crown Princess because she was born a commoner. In the 1990's Empress Michiko suffered a nervous breakdown and lost her voice for a time. Now, Crown Princess Masako who has been emotionally tortured because of their inability to bear a male heir seems to also be suffering as her predecessor did.
My mother recalls the time before Michiko san was an Empress and even before she was a Princess. Mom worked for the Hawaii Times (Japanese language) newspaper. Michiko san was being being asked to marry the Crown Prince who had fallen in love with her and wanted her to be his Princess. Perhaps to escape the press and to give herself time to think through what she wanted her future to be... what she was willing to give up, she went on a world wide journey. One of the stops was Hawaii.
The front page reporter for the Hawaii Times was asked by the Japanese Counsulate to show a very important person around Oahu. My mother says he was rather surprised and then embarrassed because he only owned a rather shabby car in which to squire around a potential princess. When he returned he reported how charmed he was by Michiko san.
What really blew him away later and touched him deeply was the very beautiful, very gracious thank you note she personally wrote to thank him for the wonderful time she had while in Hawaii.
Well, you all know how I feel about thank you notes. Hearing this story made me admire this beautiful lady even more. I ache for her, too. Did she make the right decision? Her husband has tried to shelter her as much as he could but it's been a difficult life.
If Empress Michiko knew what her life would truly be like, would she still have given herself up to this fate? She appears to share a deep love with her Emperor husband so I'm thinking.... perhaps....
interesting post about royalty and expectations that are so unreal. also movie and pop starts have a miserable life and can't enjoy just simple pleasures.
ReplyDeleteWonderful post Kay, I love knowing about the people rather then the title!
ReplyDeleteAs far as would she have married him knowing what she knows now....hmmm...I think love is blind and when you're first bitten by the love bug you look at problems with rose colored glasses. I think that knowing what she knows now,she would have still made the same choice. Fame and position come with costs, as do most choices that we make.
BYW. Nice to revisit history through your mothers eyes!
Things aren't always what they appear to be for sure. Hmm...I imagine if she loved him she would have married him no matter what...but what heartache for her. I loved the story from your mother, most fascinating!
ReplyDeleteDavid's boss is deeply honored that the royal couple has hired his company to handle their baggage! His boss was born in Japan and moved to Hawaii when he was 13 years old. Still speaks Japanese fluently.
ReplyDeleteMarvelous and interesting post, Kay! Like Peggy, I love to know about the people rather than titles. I know that I would hate living in the spotlight all the time and having my every move watched and critiqued, but yes, we do indeed tend to look through rose colored glasses when we fall in love. I can't help but wonder if under those difficult circumstances the rosy glow fades or even disappears. Maybe, but maybe not, guess it depends on how deep the love. Love your mothers take on the history.
ReplyDeletePoor girl. I would hate to be an empress. LOL
ReplyDeleteEqually interesting the new news that your mom worked on the newspaper.
kay....loads of interesting informations today...i agree with Lin.....don't know why but it reminds me of Princess Diana...its sad that inability to bear a male child is still a big issue.....sending that thank you note to the counsel speaks a lot about Empress Michiko....both of them look so perfect together.
ReplyDeleteConsider this comment a thank-you note for a wonderful post!
ReplyDeleteAloha, neighbor
Comfort Spiral
What an interesting and sad post. I think most royalty treat wives horrible. Look at how Princess Diana was treated by the Queen. It all seems senseless to me. Thanks for sharing!
ReplyDeleteThe empress sounds like a real class act...and is perhaps living the life she was born to live, the good and the bad. Lovely story.
ReplyDeleteWhat an interesting story, Kay. I enjoyed hearing of the Princess's/Empress's life and only hope she's glad for the decision she made.
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ReplyDeleteKay, this is an interesting post with even more interesting information, things I did not know. Thanks for sharing and for the insight.
ReplyDeleteYou and I must be "soul sisters". I could feel your empathy in your words and descriptions, then I felt even more empathetic as I read of her plight.
Like you, I also think...
"perhaps"....
How interesting to read your mother's connection!
ReplyDeleteI think if the Emperor and Empress love each other (they certainly seem to) then surely it was worth it. After all, other couples go through poverty and illness and tragedies together: Michiko's challenges were different but surely sharing them with her husband makes them bearable. And she is a beautiful, classy Empress.
I'll tell my daughter about the visit: she's in love with anything to do with Japan.
I guess being The Queen, or Princess, or Empress isn't such a fairy tale after all. I would hope that she had to power to create at least small pleasures for herself.
ReplyDeleteThe Royal life is not all it is cracked up to be, but after learning a little more about the Emperor and the Empress of Japan, I greatly admire them. They sound like they are very much in love, and with love you can overcome insurmountable odds. Thank you for this lovely post Kay.
ReplyDeleteHow sad a story.
ReplyDeleteRoyal life or for that matter any life which is being led in the public eye is tortorus. The painss obviously multiply manifold when the world is watching and talking about your every move.
ReplyDeleteRoyalty is sometimes a very common lifestyle and I suspect those in Tokyo palace live like prisoners without metal bars.
ReplyDeleteThat is so sad...maybe having the man she loves makes up for the rest. It is sad...
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