This was no hint. He shouted in her face that she should go to a nunnery, and called her a w***e.
This would be good for Peter III, but not so good for many other people in Russia. Catherine was very popular, despite being of German origin. With her being alive, they could simply liberate her from the nunnery, and practically nothing would change.
There's a difference between making the same threat for like 17 years, and actually doing it. If Peter tried that he would have to use his troops from Holstein, the Russian Guard Regiments would be more likely to riot then to arrest her. And that would take time so Catherine would have a heads up and time to act.
I was actually imagine tying this to Peter III coming to the throne later, so he never gives Prussia its land back. That could give him more breathing space.
That would actually require Elizabeth of Russia to live a lot longer.
How much longer? If Empress Elizabeth lives to long then she might leave the throne directly to her grand-nephew, Paul. After all the only reason Peter was heir was because he was the only adult male descendent of Peter the Great. Elizabeth and the entire Russian Court thought that he was an idiot or worse, an idealistic idiot. For instance, he abolished the hated Russian Secret Police. Popular move, but stupid. It made Catherine's coup much easier for her to plan without a professional spy network reporting her actions.
I suppose you could have Frederick the Great die before Elizabeth. That would actually be a lot more easier.
If Frederick the Great died first would that mean that Austria would get back Silesia?
How much longer? If Empress Elizabeth lives to long then she might leave the throne directly to her grand-nephew, Paul. After all the only reason Peter was heir was because he was the only adult male descendent of Peter the Great. Elizabeth and the entire Russian Court thought that he was an idiot or worse, an idealistic idiot. For instance, he abolished the hated Russian Secret Police. Popular move, but stupid. It made Catherine's coup much easier for her to plan without a professional spy network reporting her actions.
But whereas Peter is the rightful Tsar, Catherine is just his foreign-born wife.
Why is she going to be a threat even in a nunnery?