Since the enthronement of Takeda no miko, the son of Kashiyaki hime, a granddaughter of SOGA no Iname, benefited the Soga clan who was expanding its influence at the time to grow even bigger, the prince had been considered as a prominent candidate from his early stage.
当時勢力を拡大していた蘇我氏にとって、蘇我稲目の孫にあたる炊屋姫から生まれた竹田皇子が即位すると蘇我氏の権勢を増大させるのに有利に運ぶ事から早くから皇位継承の有力候補と目されていた。