The situation was changed dramatically compared to before, the Choshu Expeditions went fourth, the establishment of the Satsuma-Chochu Alliance, the death of Shogun Iemochi TOKUGAWA, Yoshinobu TOKUGAWA being new Shogun, the death of Emperor Komei and so on, while both Prince Taruhito and Takahito were refrained from making public appearances and had no contact with outside.
両親王が謹慎生活で外部との接触を絶たれている間、長州征伐、薩長同盟の成立、将軍徳川家茂の死去と徳川慶喜の将軍就任、さらに孝明天皇の崩御により、時代はそれまでとは桁違いの速度で変化してゆく。