Led by Doctor Heinz Hafner, a leading German psychiatrist, the team behind the
review ploughed through the archive material on Ludwig’s alleged insanity
and concluded “the psychiatric assessment was incorrect in form and
substance.”

The study will add to the mystery surrounding the demise of King Ludwig as it
puts its weight behind the conspiracy theory that the king was the victim of
a carefully orchestrated coup, organised by family members hungry for power
and embarrassed by Ludwig’s debts and rampant rumours of his alleged
homosexuality.

“They had decided that the king had to be removed from power so they looked
around for a psychiatrist to help them, and so asked Von Gudden,” said
Doctor Hafner.

“To begin with Von Gudden never formally met the king during his
investigation,” he continued “The only time they ever met was 12 years
before. Von Gudden never asked people who could give an objective opinion of
the king. Only biased evidence was accepted. His opinion was based on
reports from servants such as couple of people who worked in the stables,
and a waiter in the palace.

“A secretary who collected written evidence that the king was capable of
ruling was ignored.”

While the research into King Ludwig may relieve him of the stigma of madness
it is unlikely to clear up perhaps the most enduring mystery surrounding
King Ludwig: how he died.

On June 13, 1886, just three days after he had been deposed, Ludwig and Von
Gudden went for a walk on the banks of a lake in a palace garden. Neither
was seen alive again. Their bodies were retrieved from the shallows of the
lake a few hours later, with Von Gudden’s showing signs of being attacked.
Ludwig’s death was attributed to drowning although no water was found in his
lungs and he was a strong swimmer.