After Emperor Gonijo suddenly died in 1308, the bakufu approved the Imperial Prince to become Emperor from the Daikakuji Imperial line temporarily until Imperial Prince Kuniyoshi was old enough to succeed to the throne, it was Emperor Godaigo who was appointed by the Retired Emperor Gouda while he was ruling his cloistered government, not Kuniyoshi, this made it clear that there was no possibility for Imperial Prince Tsuneaki to succeed to the throne.
徳治3年（1308年）、後二条天皇が急死すると幕府は邦良親王の成長までの中継ぎの天皇になるべき親王を大覚寺統から選ぶ事を認めたが、それは恒明ではなく当時の院政執行者であった後宇多上皇が推した後醍醐天皇であり、この時点で恒明親王の皇位継承の可能性は絶たれた。