Okay, so, your mention of incurring debts and building Rheinsberg jogged something in my memory, and I've finally remembered where I read it: Krockow. This is Google translated, from the translation my algorithms prepared last year, because I don't have time to retranslate the German myself:
The purchase price was 75,000 thalers, of which the stingy majesty only contributed 50,000. The remainder, including all the costs for the renovation and expansion, was passed on to the Crown Prince's household, a substantial portion of which probably came from the dowry of Crown Princess Elisabeth Christine. Friedrich Wilhelm appointed his building director Johann Gottfried Kemmeter from the Kurmark to be the architect, naturally with urgent instructions for the greatest possible economy. Logically, Friedrich was soon no longer enough, what Kemmeter did, and in 1737 he appointed his own architect, Knobelsdorff, who had returned from Italy.
With the ambitious plans, of course, the lack of money increased, and getting into debt became notorious. The courtier and memoir writer Baron Pöllnitz reports of a significant incident: In the summer of 1736, Friedrich Wilhelm visited Rheinsberg. When the King had lunch with the Crown Prince and appeared to be in an excellent mood, [Minister] Grumbkow took the opportunity to favor the latter, with whom he was not exactly on the best of terms. So he began to praise the splendid dinner which the Crown Prince had set before the King, and added jokingly that he would not be able to hold such banquets often, otherwise his finances would suffer. The king asked his son if he owed him and how much it was. The Crown Prince did not dare to name a sum greater than 40,000 thalers, whereupon the King said he would pay him. Grumbkow then asked whether this was to be understood as meaning that the annual income of the Crown Prince should be increased by the sum mentioned. Friedrich Wilhelm, meanwhile, acted as if he hadn't heard anything, but the next day he sent his son the 40,000 thalers."
So we knew he was in debt and that he didn't want his father to find out, but that's nothing new in the 1730s and even late 1720s. I feel like it would neither distress him *that* much (he should be used to it by now!) nor that he wouldn't mention it to Wilhelmine. So I continue to not think this is what he's referring to, but I thought I would share this passage, since it's relevant to our discussion of his notorious 1730s debts. And it contains details that might be useful if anyone ever writes that Rokoko babysitting fic. ;)
Btw, the next paragraph is entertaining:
Unfortunately, it was the famous drop in the bucket. Frederick approached the courts in Vienna or London for help as secretly as urgently, and with the charm and tact of a future ruler he wrote to his middleman in St. Petersburg: “The king is sick. You can use that as a good reason to have a good sum advanced next summer. Seriously, if you want to give me thanks, you have to be quick.” But whatever you slipped him, there was no talk of gratitude later. The emperor in particular would have better spent his money on soldiers to protect Silesia.
Re: Fritz Mystery Affliction January 1736
The purchase price was 75,000 thalers, of which the stingy majesty only contributed 50,000. The remainder, including all the costs for the renovation and expansion, was passed on to the Crown Prince's household, a substantial portion of which probably came from the dowry of Crown Princess Elisabeth Christine. Friedrich Wilhelm appointed his building director Johann Gottfried Kemmeter from the Kurmark to be the architect, naturally with urgent instructions for the greatest possible economy. Logically, Friedrich was soon no longer enough, what Kemmeter did, and in 1737 he appointed his own architect, Knobelsdorff, who had returned from Italy.
With the ambitious plans, of course, the lack of money increased, and getting into debt became notorious. The courtier and memoir writer Baron Pöllnitz reports of a significant incident: In the summer of 1736, Friedrich Wilhelm visited Rheinsberg. When the King had lunch with the Crown Prince and appeared to be in an excellent mood, [Minister] Grumbkow took the opportunity to favor the latter, with whom he was not exactly on the best of terms. So he began to praise the splendid dinner which the Crown Prince had set before the King, and added jokingly that he would not be able to hold such banquets often, otherwise his finances would suffer. The king asked his son if he owed him and how much it was. The Crown Prince did not dare to name a sum greater than 40,000 thalers, whereupon the King said he would pay him. Grumbkow then asked whether this was to be understood as meaning that the annual income of the Crown Prince should be increased by the sum mentioned. Friedrich Wilhelm, meanwhile, acted as if he hadn't heard anything, but the next day he sent his son the 40,000 thalers."
So we knew he was in debt and that he didn't want his father to find out, but that's nothing new in the 1730s and even late 1720s. I feel like it would neither distress him *that* much (he should be used to it by now!) nor that he wouldn't mention it to Wilhelmine. So I continue to not think this is what he's referring to, but I thought I would share this passage, since it's relevant to our discussion of his notorious 1730s debts. And it contains details that might be useful if anyone ever writes that Rokoko babysitting fic. ;)
Btw, the next paragraph is entertaining:
Unfortunately, it was the famous drop in the bucket. Frederick approached the courts in Vienna or London for help as secretly as urgently, and with the charm and tact of a future ruler he wrote to his middleman in St. Petersburg: “The king is sick. You can use that as a good reason to have a good sum advanced next summer. Seriously, if you want to give me thanks, you have to be quick.” But whatever you slipped him, there was no talk of gratitude later. The emperor in particular would have better spent his money on soldiers to protect Silesia.