Marriage and Family
The couple married on 10 April 1959. They have three children:
- HIH Crown Prince Naruhito, b. 23 February 1960;
- HIH Prince Akishino (Fumihito), b. 30 November 1965; and
- The former HIH Princess Nori (Sayako), b. 18 April 1969.
Crown Prince Akihito and Crown Princess Michiko again broke precedent by preferring to raise their children instead of entrusting them to the care of Court chamberlains; the Crown Princess even breastfed.
Upon the death of Emperor Hirohito on 7 January 1989, her husband became Japan's 125th Emperor and she became Empress Consort. The new Emperor and Empress were enthroned (Sokui Rei Seiden no Gi) at the Imperial Palace in Tokyo on 12 November 1990.
Having lost her voice for seven months during a nervous breakdown in the 1960s, the Empress again lost her voice for several months in the Fall of 1993.
Read more about this topic: Empress Michiko
Famous quotes containing the words marriage and/or family:
“But most thro’ midnight streets I hear
How the youthful Harlots curse
Blasts the new-born Infants tear
And blights with plagues the Marriage hearse”
—William Blake (1757–1827)
“While one family is well-fed and clothed, a thousand others grumble.”
—Chinese proverb.