In 1762, she was at Saint Petersburg and took, according to her own account, the leading part in the coup d'état by which Catherine was raised to the throne; however, this was discounted by Catherine in her letters. Another course of events would probably have resulted in the elevation of the Princess Dashkova's elder sister, Elizabeth, who was the former emperor's mistress, and in whose favor he made no secret of his intention to divorce with Catherine and to make Elizabeth Vorontsova his wife and empress consort.