Article 4 of Kizokuin Kisoku (the rules of Kizokuin) states "The seats for the imperial family councilors should be right at the front and their order of seating should follow their hierarchy in the palace."
貴族院規則4条で「皇族ノ議席ハ議員ノ首班ニ置キ其ノ席次ハ宮中ノ列次ニ依ル」となっていた。