Ever since then, he distanced himself from the Meiji new government, and kept living in Kyoto dedicating himself towards bringing up his grandson, Atsumaro KONOE though most of court nobles moved to Tokyo after the transfer of capital.
その後も明治新政府とは距離を置き、東京遷都後、ほとんどの公家が東京に移住した後も京都に居住、孫・近衛篤麿を引き取り養育に専念した。