Upon the engagement, she was called "Goenjosama" and moved from Satsuma clan kamiyashiki in Shiba Mita to Hitotsubashi mansion inside the Edo-jo Castle and was raised with Toyochiyo, however, when the 10th shogun Ieharu TOKIGAWA's legitimate son Iemoto died unexpectedly and Toyochiyo was decided to be the next shogun, this engagement became a problem.
茂姫は婚約に伴い芝三田の薩摩藩上屋敷から江戸城内の一橋邸に移り住み、「御縁女様」と称されて婚約者の豊千代と共に養育されていたが、10代将軍徳川家治の嫡男徳川家基の急逝で豊千代が次期将軍と定められた際、この婚約が問題となった。