In January 1772, Queen Caroline Matilda, Johann Friedrich Struensee and Enevold Brandt were arrested and their rule ousted in a palace coup led by the opposition under Juliana Maria's confidante Ove Høegh-Guldberg. While she is not believed to have been the instigator of the coup, Guldberg approached her and convinced her to participate to protect Denmark, and her role was vital to bring the palace coup to fruition. On 17 January, Juliana Maria convinced the mentally unstable monarch to sign the arrest order of the queen, Struensee and Brandt, thereby effectively bringing about a coup. The order was in fact signed after the arrests had already been securely made in the name of the king, legitimizing the acts. In April, Struensee and Brandt were executed, and Caroline Matilda was exiled.