Ferdinand was known for being quite a character. On a visit to
German Emperor Wilhelm II, his second cousin once removed, in 1909, Ferdinand was leaning out of a window of the
New Palace in Potsdam when the Emperor came up behind him and slapped him on the bottom. Ferdinand was affronted by the gesture and the Emperor apologised. Ferdinand however exacted his revenge by awarding a valuable arms contract he had intended to give to the
Krupp's factory in
Essen to French arms manufacturer
Schneider-Creusot.
[6] Another incident occurred on his journey to the funeral of his second cousin, British King
Edward VII in 1910. A tussle broke out over where his private railway carriage would be positioned in relation to the heir to the Austro-Hungarian throne,
Archduke Franz Ferdinand. The Archduke won out, having his carriage positioned directly behind the engine. Ferdinand's was placed directly behind. Realising the dining car of the train was behind his own carriage, Ferdinand obtained his revenge on the Archduke by refusing him entry through his own carriage to the dining car.
[7]