Deokhye, Princess of Korea

Birth and early life Yi Deokhye was born as the daughter of Yang Gwiin (later Lady Boknyeong) and the then-60-year-old Emperor Emeritus Gojong on 25 May 1912, nearly two years after the Japanese annexation of Korea. Immediately after birth, she was called Agi (, meaning 'baby') and then named Deokhye. Her mother was a low-ranking court lady working in the kitchen of Deoksugung.

Gojong had 16 children with his 10 wives, but Deokhye was his first daughter; his four other daughters were not counted as they all died under the age of one. Gojong was delighted with the birth of his first daughter and raised her with meticulous love. In 1916, he established the Deoksugung Kindergarten dedicated to her, where Deokhye would attend. However, apart from her father, because she didn't have an official title, she was ignored and treated like she did not exist. Later, she was nicknamed "Boknyeong-dang".

In 1917, her father persuaded Terauchi Masatake, the then-ruling Governor-General of Korea, to enter her name into the registry of the imperial family, offering her legitimacy and granting her the title of princess.

In 1919, Emperor Gojong planned a secret engagement between Princess Deokhye and Kim Jang-han, the nephew of Kim Hwang-jin, a court chamberlain. He had sought to protect his daughter through it, but the engagement failed due to Japan's intervention and Kim Hwang-jin was not permitted to enter Deoksu Palace again. Emperor Gojong died suddenly on 21 January 1919.

In 1921, Princess Deokhye started going to Hinodae Elementary School, in Seoul.

Life in Japan and arranged marriage

In 1925, the Princess was taken to Japan under the pretense of continuing her studies. Like her brothers, she attended the Gakushuin, where Yukika Sohma was among her schoolmates. In Japan, she was known as Princess Tokue (, ). According to Yukika, she was untalkative and struggled with exercising. The marriage had in fact been decided in 1930. Her brother had protested against it, and it had been postponed because of her condition, but when she recovered, she was immediately given instructions that the wedding was to take place.

She gave birth to a daughter, Masae , or Jeonghye At first, the South Korean government refused to allow the return of the last royal bloodline, because President Rhee Syng-man wanted to avoid political chaos. After meeting her sister-in-law, Empress Sunjeonghyo, the second wife of her older half-brother Emperor Sunjong, she was admitted to Seoul National University Hospital later that day for surgery to remove a polyp in the uterus.

Having being born in Korea, the princess was able to restore her Korean citizenship and finalized her name, Yi Deok-hye, on 8 February 1962, and was soon discharged from the hospital as her condition was proven stable on 4 May 1964. In the fall of 1968, she lived in Nakseon Hall, Changdeok Palace, with Prince Uimin and Princess Masako, their son Prince Gu, his wife Julia Mullock, and Mrs. Byeon Bok-dong.

Sometime before her death, around ten years before, her ex-husband flew from Japan to South Korea to visit her and see how she was doing, but this visit was rejected by her family.

He begged Yi Gong-jae, a member of the family, to let him meet his ex-wife. But Yi said:

Her last years were filled with visits to different hospitals, but on 24 May 1983, she was admitted and stayed temporarily at Hallym University Hangang Sacred Heart Hospital due to her old age.

On 21 April 1989, the princess died at Sugang Hall, Changdeok Palace, and was buried at Hongryureung in Namyangju. Her burial site is near where her father, Emperor Gojong, and older half-brother, Emperor Sunjong, are buried.

Family Father Emperor Gojong of Korea (; 8 September 1852 – 21 January 1919) Grandmother - Grand Internal Princess Consort Sunmok of the Yeoheung Min clan (; 3 February 1818 – 8 January 1898) Grandfather - Yi Ha-eung, Grand Internal Prince Heungseon (; 21 December 1820 – 22 February 1898) Mother Yang Chun-gi, Imperial Consort Boknyeong Gwi-in of the Cheongju Yang clan (; 27 September 1882 – 30 May 1929) Grandfather - Yang Eon-hwan Husband Count Sō Takeyuki (宗武志 16 February 1908 – 22 April 1985) Father-in-law - Sō Yoriyuki (宗和志) later, Kuroda Yoriyuki (黒田和志; 8 September 1851 – 21 January 1917) Mother-in-law - Kuroda Reiko (黒 鏻子; 1857–1925) Daughter Countess Sō Masae (宗正惠), or Jong Jeong-hye (; 14 August 1932 – 26 August 1956) Son-in-law: Sō Noboru (5 September 1931–?) (宗昇)

In popular culture Film and television Portrayed by Son Ye-jin in the 2016 film The Last Princess.

Literature A biography of Princess Deokhye was published by Japanese author Yasuko Honma (本馬恭子) and was subsequently translated into Korean by Hoon Lee and published in 1996. The best-selling novel Princess Deokhye by Kwon Bi-young was published in 2009.

Music Singer Ho Shim-nam created a 1963 song based upon the life of Princess Deokhye. Korean singer Heo Jinsul's 2010 song "The Rose of Tears" is based upon the life of Princess Deokhye, and was recorded in both English and Korean.

Theater In 1995, a play based upon Princess Deokhye was held at the Seoul Art Center. The 2013 Korean musical Deokhye, the Last Princess is based upon her life.

Ancestors