Because there was no eligible successor in the Saionji family after the previous lord died young, they arranged marriage between a daughter of the late Kiminobu SAIONJI and Sanesuke who was from the Takatsukasa family; Consequently Sanesuke became the adopted child and heir to the Saionji Family.
当主の早世により西園寺家に相続人がいなくなっていたため、この実輔が鷹司家から故西園寺公宣娘の養子縁組になり、西園寺家を相続した。