The crown prince was Prince Munehito (the Emperor Toba), who was a child of FUJIWARA no Ishi, a high-ranking lady in the court (a wife of an Emperor) (the Empress Dowager, posthumously conferred); however, after Ishi died Prince Munehito was taken to Shirakawa in and nurtured in the palace.
女御藤原苡子（贈皇太后）との間に生まれた皇子宗仁親王（鳥羽天皇）を皇太子としたが、苡子が没すると宗仁親王は白河院に引き取られ、院の下で養育された。