Then in 1756, Ulrike attempts to institute absolutism. She is caught by the Hats, who make her sign a public "I won't do it again" apology letter, which she finds very humiliating.
I laughed. It does sound kind of like she's a schoolchild... Naughty girl, no absolutism for you!

Choiseul, who's in power in France, is disenchanted with the Hats, as they haven't proven very useful, and they're very expensive.
Well, from the Hats' perspective, good job milking money from the French without having to give much in return, I guess...at least until the subsidies ended.