Royal Profile: HIH Princess Akiko of Mikasa

Princess Akiko of Mikasa was born 20 December 1981, the eldest child of HIH Prince Tomohito of Mikasa and HIH Princess Tomohito of Mikasa (Nobuko). She has one younger sister, Princess  Yōko. Her father died on 6 June 2012, after an extended illness. She is a 1st cousin 1x removed of the present Emperor of Japan.

Like most of the Japanese Royals, she has an extensive educational background. She earned a bachelor's degree  in history from Gakushuin University, and she also studied a year abroad at Merton College, Oxford. She also attended Oxford University as a doctoral candidate  in Oriental Studies. In the Spring 2008 semester, she was researching her thesis at the Clark Center for Japanese Art & Culture in California. In 2010, she passed the final exam towards a DPhil, thus becoming the 2nd member of the Japanese Imperial Family to obtain such a degree. 

The young Princess also occasionally performs public duties. In 2006, she assisted Toyko University in opening a special exhibition on the 19th century art movement known as Japonisme. In 2007, she participated in a symposium at Ochanomizu University on the art collection of William Anderson.