The extent of people buzzing around Berlin regarding the assassination rumours was at its highest by the 3rd week of August, 1763. It was apparent - there were much more guards making rounds around Berlin and Potsdam checking on anything suspicious. Plus, entry into the country was much more strictly regulated. It was in this period that something completely unthought for happened. It all started with a merry evening in Potsdam.

Baroness von Essen invited several of her friends and even the King's sister Her Royal Highness Princess Amalia. It was delightful evening with champagne and poker chips flowing around the gaming table like butterflies. Princess Amalia found delight in playing billiard with a certain French Marquise while the rest of the guests preferred cards. The evening was well accompanied by a pleasant summer breeze that passed in and out of the room through the open doors.

Then the unthinkable happened. The witnesses, later interrogated, recalled the Baroness offering a "refreshing drink" to Her Royal Highness and just another ordinary maid poured the drink into the glass and offered it to the Princess via a serving tray. A moment later, the Princess complained about feeling dizzy and immediately dropped to the ground unconscious. Everyone panicked. The moor that was present there quickly grabbed some smelling salt, as the hostess shouted to the servants to quickly get water and the doctor for the Princess and at the same time tried to wipe unknown liquid from the Princess' mouth. "She was poisoned!" - the baroness shouted calling on the guards to catch the maid for later interrogation.

The Princess was then carefully carried into the music salon to rest on the sofa until she regains consciousness. The atmosphere was really gloomy and the guests, unwilling to be in any way related to the incident, excused their leave in any ways possible. Upon regaining consciousness several hours later, the Princess, being in a delicate condition, used a servant as the "bucket". After some more time Princess Amalia, feeling like she could go home now, furious and frustrated from such disgrace, stomped out of the Baroness' house swearing to catch the one responsible for this.

The pamphlets boomed after this incident, most of which blamed Austrians, however, there was large number blaming the Baroness herself, as they claimed that she had grudge against the royal family and that she was an Austrian spy. The Baroness' reputation was in tatters by this point. Currently, the Baroness is under house arrest until proper investigation is carried out and the culprit is caught and punished. The Baroness at the same time tries to convince everyone that she' innocent, as she claims that she tried the drink beforehand suffering no damage whatsoever.

But who knows? Perhaps, it really was part of Austrian assassination plot. Maybe the Baroness was set up? Or is the Baroness guilty? Could there possibly those those who hold certain grudge against the royal family inside the country? Will the truth be found out? Only time will tell.