Japan’s Princess Mako has lost her royal status after marrying her “commoner” college sweetheart, Kei Komuro – a man she described as “irreplaceable” – while the couple voiced sadness over a scandal that has plagued their engagement.

After years of criticism of their relationship that has left Mako struggling with her mental health, the couple announced at a press conference at a hotel in Tokyo on Tuesday that they had wed. They declined to take questions from reporters.

Mako and Komuro, who met at university almost a decade ago, were originally due to marry in November 2018 but postponed after Japanese media revealed that Komuro’s mother was embroiled in a minor financial scandal.

On Tuesday Komuro voiced regret at how his mother’s troubles had overshadowed the wedding preparations. Of his bride, he said: “I love Mako-san. And I would like to spend my life with the person I love.”

He said he would do “everything possible” to resolve the financial dispute between his mother and a former fiance from whom she reportedly borrowed ¥4m (£25,387), although there have been claims that the money was a gift.

Intense media coverage of his family and scrutiny of the couple’s relationship has taken its toll on Mako, who is Emperor Naruhito’s niece. The imperial household agency recently revealed she was suffering from complex post-traumatic stress disorder.

Her health was reportedly behind the couple’s decision to make a statement on Tuesday and hand out written answers to reporters’ questions rather than respond verbally.