When royals decide to walk away from their gilded lives, the world takes notice. In this roundup we dive into the most sensational cases where members of royalty scandalously renounced their titles, revealing love, loss, and the pursuit of freedom.
How Royals Scandalously Walk Away From the Crown
10 Princess Mako Of Japan
In May 2017 the world learned that Princess Mako was engaged to Kei Komuro, a man she’d met at International Christian University in Tokyo. Because Komuro is a commoner, Japanese imperial law requires Mako to relinquish her royal title upon marriage.
The announcement sparked a heated debate about the imperial succession, especially as Emperor Akihito hinted at possible abdication. Although Mako was not directly in line for the throne, her father sits second in the line of succession.
While she has not disclosed her post‑royal plans, she could look to her aunt, Sayako, the first Japanese royal to become a commoner, for guidance. Adjusting to life outside the palace will surely be an adventure.
9 Prince Philip Of Greece And Denmark
On 28 February 1947, the future Duke of Edinburgh became a British subject and, in doing so, renounced his claims to both the Greek and Danish thrones. Born a prince of two realms, he chose a different path.
Raised largely apart from his parents and educated in Scotland, Philip found his destiny as the husband of Princess Elizabeth, who would become Queen Elizabeth II. Giving up his royal claims actually amplified his public profile, making him a central figure in the most famous royal family on the planet.
Now at 96, the late Duke of Edinburgh (who passed away in 2021) had recently stepped back from official duties, finally enjoying some well‑earned downtime.
8 King Carol II Of Romania
King Carol II earned a reputation as the wild child of Romania’s royal house. His first love, Zizi Lambrino, led him to elope in 1918, a marriage that was swiftly annulled by his parents.
After a second, unhappy marriage to Princess Helen of Greece, his affair with Magda Lupescu forced him into exile in 1925. He returned in 1930 to reign, only to be ousted again in 1940 and sent back into exile.
The silver lining arrived in 1947 when he finally married his great love, Magda Lupescu, cementing a dramatic personal saga.
7 Johan Friso Of The Netherlands
Johan Friso wooed his future wife, Mabel Wisse Smit, by appearing at her doorstep in an all‑white suit, clutching champagne and roses—fully aware that marriage would strip him of his place in the Dutch line of succession.
The couple quickly became a favorite of the Dutch public, despite early rumors about Smit’s background. After giving up his title, Johan pursued a career in finance while raising a young family.
Tragically, he succumbed to injuries from an avalanche while skiing in Austria in 2012.
6 Ubolratana Rajakanya Of Thailand
Princess Ubolratana Rajakanya gave up her royal status to marry Peter Ladd Jensen, a commoner. After three children and a 1998 divorce, she returned to Thailand.
In 2004, the devastating tsunami claimed the life of her autistic second son, Bhumi. In his memory, she established a foundation supporting children with autism and other learning challenges.
Since then, she has appeared in two Thai films and remains active in public engagements with her family.
5 Princess Srirasmi Of Thailand
Princess Srirasmi voluntarily relinquished her royal titles amid a cascade of scandals involving her relatives. As the consort of Crown Prince Maha Vajiralongkorn, she found herself embroiled when her uncle was arrested for extortion and oil smuggling, and her siblings faced charges for defaming the monarchy.
Following the divorce from the crown prince, she left her son with him, ensuring his place in the line of succession, and announced plans to retreat to her hometown west of Bangkok for a quieter life.
4 Princess Cristina Of Spain
Princess Cristina did not willingly surrender her title, but a high‑profile tax‑fraud investigation forced King Felipe VI to inform her in 2015 that she was no longer a member of the Spanish monarchy.
She became the first Spanish royal to stand trial, a scandal that shook the institution. Although acquitted in February 2017, her husband, Inaki Urdangarin, received a six‑year‑plus prison sentence.
Cristina was fined for her part in the fraud, and her brother distanced himself to protect the monarchy’s image.
3 Lennart Bernadotte, Prince Of Sweden
In 1932, Lennart Bernadotte sparked a sensation by marrying commoner Karin Nissvandt without royal consent, defying his parents. As a grandson of King Gustaf V, Swedish law required him to renounce his succession rights.
The couple wed in London, and his parents, though displeased, compensated him with the gift of Mainau—a 111‑acre island on Lake Constance.
Lennart devoted his life to transforming Mainau into a spectacular botanical garden, where roughly 350,000 flowers bloom each summer. He passed away in 2005, leaving a floral legacy that endures.
2 Princess Nori Of Japan
When Princess Nori left the Imperial Palace for the last time, she took only a table, a chest of drawers, and a one‑off state payment to smooth her transition to ordinary life. Upon stepping beyond the palace gates, she became Mrs. Sayako Kuroda.
Marrying her childhood sweetheart, Yoshiki Kuroda, meant learning to drive, ride public transport, and shop like the rest of us. Rumors suggest she might pursue ornithology, and she has expressed relief at escaping the pressures that once plagued her mother, who suffered a breakdown in the early 1990s.
1 Edward VIII Of Britain
The most infamous renunciation belongs to King Edward VIII, whose 1936 abdication shocked the world. Throughout the 1920s, he had affairs with several married women, building a reputation for scandal.
When his father died, Edward ascended the throne, only to fall in love with Wallis Simpson, an American divorcee. After her third divorce was finalized in October 1936, advisers vehemently opposed their union, citing Edward’s role as head of the Church of England.
With no viable alternative, Edward publicly abdicated on 11 December 1936, delivering a televised address before departing for Europe. His brother, George VI, assumed the crown.
In 1937, Edward married Wallis, and the couple lived in France until his death from throat cancer in 1972. He was interred at the Royal Burial Ground in Windsor.