fɹˈɛdɚɹˌɪk "ðə ɡɹˈeɪt" hæd plˈænd ɐ mˈʌtʃ lˈɑːɹdʒɚ fˈoːɹəm fɹaɪdɹˈɪʃənəm, bˌʌt hɪz dˈɪstənt kˈʌzən, fɹˈɛdɚɹˌɪk wˈɪljəm, mˈɑːɹɡɹeɪv ʌv bɹˈændənbˌɜːɡʃwˈɛt, ɹᵻfjˈuːzd tə sˈɛl hɪz pˈælɪs, ðə pɹˈɛdᵻsˌɛsɚɹ ʌv tədˈeɪz ˈoʊld pˈælɪs, fɚðə pˈɜːpəs ʌv dˌɛməlˈɪʃən.
Frederick "the Great" had planned a much larger Forum Fridericianum, but his distant cousin, Frederick William, Margrave of Brandenburg-Schwedt, refused to sell his palace, the predecessor of today's Old Palace, for the purpose of demolition.