Although Kinmoto was the oldest legitimate son of the Saionji family, his younger brother was promoted to Daijo-daijin, but Kinmoto was Udaijin at best when he quitted working, and therefore, the position of the direct line of the Saionji family soon moved to the family of his younger brother.
公基は西園寺家の嫡男ではあったが、弟が太政大臣まで昇ったのに対して公基は右大臣どまりであったため、西園寺家嫡流の座もやがて弟の家系に移った。