Cheoljong's cousin, Grand Royal Queen Dowager Sinjeong, the widow of Heonjong of Joseon's father of the Pungyang Jo clan, who too had risen to prominence by intermarriage with the Yi family, currently held this title.
As soon as news of Cheoljong's death reached Yi Ha-eung through his intricate network of spies in the palace, he and the Pungyang Jo clan took the hereditary royal seal (considered necessary for a legitimate reign to take place and aristocratic recognition to be received), effectively giving Queen Sinjeong absolute power to select the successor to the throne.
By the time Cheoljong's death became a known fact, the Andong Kim clan was powerless to act according to law because the seal already lay in the hands of Grand Royal Dowager Queen Shinjeong.
The Grand Prince was diligent in his search for a queen who would serve his purposes: she must have no close relatives who would harbor political ambitions, yet come from a noble lineage so as to justify his choice to the court and the people.
The two women described the girl persuasively: she was orphaned and possessed beautiful features, a healthy body, and an ordinary level of education.
Ten years later, the Princess Consort and Queen Min suffered family losses in the Gapsin Coup of 1884 due to the Heungseon Daewongun and his supporters.
Which later prompted the resignation of her husband as regent and Queen Min as the successor when King Gojong took the throne and needed aid from his wife.
When Heungseon Daewongun and Prince Yeongseon, her grandson, tried to get rid of Empress Myeongseong and her political power in the royal palace.
At the time of the Imo Incident and Donghak Peasant Movement, they sent a message to evacuate by informing her of some assassins' plans to enter.
[citation needed] In June 1882, Grand Internal Prince Heungseon was re-established power by the old-fashioned army who revolted during the time of Imogunran (임오군란).
[6] Heo Ok (허욱), his assistant, dressed as a soldier[7] and went to the palace during this time and played a role of pointing to Empress Myeongseong, but he couldn't find her.
The Heungseon Daewongun ordered an attack on the administrative district of Seoul that housed the Gyeongbokgung, the diplomatic quarter, military centers, and science institutions.
The soldiers attacked police stations to free comrades who had been arrested and then began ransacking private estates and mansions belonging to relatives of the Queen Consort.
The military rebellion then headed towards the palace but both Queen Consort and the King escaped ahead of time in disguise and fled to her relative's villa in Cheongju, where they remained in hiding.