During her tenure as maid of honor at court, her position as mistress to the king was kept secret. Initially, the relationship was kept a secret from the queen by her favorite and confidant Emerentia von Düben. The queen did not consider it proper to expose the monarch to slander in public, and participated in protecting the king's reputation. During the hunting trip to Dalarna, which the royal court undertook in 1732 to celebrate the visit of the king's brother Prince William of Hesse, the queen demonstrated her disregard to the rumors by displaying affection to her maid of honor Hedvig Taube, when they were seen by the public during walks.