This was the moment Prince Heinrich Reuss' fairytale came crashing down.
His alleged plan was simple: Storm parliament and overthrow the German government.
But authorities pounced before the plot could unfold.
More than 3,000 officers were involved in the December 2022 raids.
It was one of the biggest anti-extremist raids in German history.
At its heart: Heinrich Reuss, a businessman and self-styled German aristocrat.
He is accused of leading the plot.
At his hunting lodge, he and dozens of others are alleged to have hatched a plan to violently overthrow the government.
The group is linked to the right-wing extremist Reichsbürger movement, or 'Citizens of the Reich.'
Police say they conspired to establish a new German state based on the old empire from the late 19th century — with Prince Heinrich as emperor.
Among its members: Former police officers, soldiers and a former politician for the far-right AfD party.
Prosecutors allege the network had "access to a huge arsenal of weapons."
Ann-Veruschka Jurisch, Internal Affairs Committee member (FDP): "I hope that we can figure out who is guilty in this respect because the whole affair is really a big burden to democracy and we really need transparency who is behind this grouping, what went wrong that they could operate so long without having been seen."
Now, Prince Heinrich and his fellow suspected conspirators are set to stand trial.
Charged with planning an act of treason and membership of a terrorist organization.