To be fair to the emperor, they have a really dysfunctional relationship. They're pretty much business only, but it's clear that both of them desired something more.
And then due to wanting to keep the status quo, they both end up having to find someone else to fill the gap.
This is why communication is important! Remember we are able to hear/read Navier's (i think that was the Queen's name) thoughts, but not the emperor's, and needless to say, neither of them can hear each other's thoughts, and when so much shit is implicit... Things get lost or simply not said!
Of course, emperor's still an idiot though. How can he pass up this no.1 queen?!?!