Again problems in the marriage of the Japanese Crown Prince
In the biggest Dutch current affairs weekly
Elsevier, compare it with
Time or
Newsweek, there was an
article about new problems in the marriage of the Japanese Crown Prince.
The holiday on
Het Oude Loo (Queen Beatrix' weekend retreat in the east of the Netherlands) has apparently not been the start of the recovery. For years Princess Masako is suffering stress as a consequence -so is assumed- of the pressure on her to give birth to a male heir. The only child of Crown Prince Naruhito and Princess Masako is a girl.
In September Crown Prince Naruhito's younger brother, Prince Akishino, became father of a son, named Prince Hisahito. This Prince Hisahito is now third in the line of succession, after his uncle Crown Prince Naruhito and his father Prince Akishino.
According to a
communiqué by the imperial court, Princess Masako needs more time for her recovery. Therefore the public duties of the Crown Prince and Princess Masako are more and more separated. Despite the fact that the imperial court announced that there still will be joint public appearances by Crown Prince Naruhito and Princess Masako, this
communiqué will undoubtedly give fuel to new speculations about problems in the marriage of Crown Prince Naruhito and Princess Masako.
In August 2006 the Crown Prince and Princess Masako were invited, together with their daughter Princess Aiko, for a holiday on
Het Oude Loo estate, the weekend retreat of Queen Beatrix. This was the first foreign holiday of the crown princely couple in 13 years. Away from the strict protocol at the Japanese imperial court, and in the relaxed, beautiful surroundings of Queen Beatrix' medieaeval retreat, it was hoped that Princess Masako would re-find the rest she misses so much in her own country.
The long vacation in the Netherlands was reported by masses of Japanese media, like every step of the Crown Prince and of Princess Masako is reported into detail. Despite the wonderful and relaxed images of a happy and relaxed encounter between the Japanese and Dutch crown princely families, their well-meant efforts seems not to have had the hoped effect.