Queen Máxima of the Netherlands

**Queen Máxima of the Netherlands** (born as _Máxima Zorreguieta_; 17 May 1971) is the wife of Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands.

## Early life and education

She was born Máxima Zorreguieta in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 17 May 1971. Máxima is the daughter of Jorge Horacio Zorreguieta Stefanini, a farmer and a politician (died 2017). He was the under-secretary of Agriculture under Jorge R. Videla's military dictatorship. She studied in Northlands School, in Argentina. She has two brothers, a sister and three half-sisters by her father's first wife.
She graduated with a degree in Economics from the Universidad Católica Argentina in 1995 before working for large international companies in Finance in Argentina, New York and Europe.

In June 2018, her sister Inés Zorreguieta, committed suicide by hanging herself at her Buenos Aires apartment, aged 33.

She has been serving as the United Nations Secretary General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development (UNSGSA) since 2009.

## Relationship with Willem-Alexander

Máxima met the crown prince in April 1999 in Sevilla, Spain, during the Seville Spring Fair. This is an important annual event, to which many people from other countries come and dress in typical Spanish Andalusian costume. In an interview, they stated that he introduced himself only as "Alexander," so that she did not know he was a prince. She thought he was joking when he told her he was a Prince. They agreed to meet in New York, where Máxima was working for Dresdner Kleinwort Benson, two weeks later.

The news of the couple's relationship and eventual marriage plans caused controversy in the Netherlands. Máxima's father had been the Minister of Agriculture during the regime of former Argentine President Jorge Rafael Videla, a military dictator who ruled Argentina from 1976 to 1981 and who was responsible for many atrocities against civilians (non-military people). An estimated 10,000–30,000 people disappeared during this and later military regimes. Democracy was restored to Argentina in 1983.

Jorge Zorreguieta claimed that, as a civilian, he did not know about the Dirty War while he was a cabinet minister. Professor Baud was asked by the Dutch Parliament to research in what way Jorge Zorreguieta was involved in the war. He concluded that it would have been unlikely for a person in such a powerful position in the government to not know about the Dirty War. But the research also found that Máxima's father had not been directly involved with the many deaths in question.

The Dutch parliament gave permission for Máxima and Willem-Alexander to marry. This is necessary by law for the Prince of Orange to be able to become king. Because of the research around his involvement in the Dirty War, Máxima's father offered not to attend the wedding. Out of solidarity with her husband, Máxima's mother also did not come to the wedding on 2 February 2002 in Amsterdam.

### Marriage

The couple announced their engagement on 30 March 2001. Princess Máxima talked to the nation in fluent Dutch during the live  broadcast on the occasion of the engagement.

Princess Máxima and Prince Willem-Alexander were married on 2 February 2002 in a civil ceremony in the Beurs van Berlage, Amsterdam. After that they had a religious ceremony at the Nieuwe Kerk (also in Amsterdam).

## Titles

17 May 1971-2 February 2002: Miss Maxima Zorreguieta

2 February 2002-30 April 2013: Her Royal Highness Princess Maxima of the Netherlands, Princess of Orange-Nassau

30 April 2013-present: Her Majesty The Queen of the Netherlands

## National Honors

-Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the Lion of the Netherlands (2 February 2002)

-Recipient of the Wedding Medal of Prince Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange and Maxima Zorreguieta

-King Willem-Alexander Investiture Medal (30 April 2013)

-Knight Grand Cross of the Order of the House of Nassau (6 May 2021)

## Foreign Honors

-Austria: Grand Cross, Special Class of the Order of Honor for Services to the Republic of Austria

-Belgium: Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Leopold I, Dame Grand Cross of the Order of the Crown

-Brazil: Grand Cross of the Order of the Southern Cross

-Brunei: Member of the Family Order of Laila Utama

-Cape Verde: Recipient of the Medal of Merit

-Chile: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit

-Denmark: Knight of the Order of the Elephant

-Estonia: Grand Cross of the Order of the Cross of Terra Mariana (5 June 2018)

-France: Grand Cross of the Order of the Legion of Honor (11 April 2023), Grand Cross of the Order of National Merit (20 January 2014)

-Germany: Grand Cross, Special Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (5 July 2021), Grand Cross, 1st Class of the Order of Merit of the Federal Republic of Germany (8 October 2007)

-Greece: Grand Cross of the Order of the Redeemer (31 October 2022)

-Italy: Grand Cross of the Order of Merit of the Italian Republic

-Japan: Dame Grand Cordon (Paulownia) of the Order of the Precious Crown

-Jordan: Dame Grand Cordon of the Supreme Order of the Renaissance (20 March 2018)

-Latvia: Grand Cross of the Order of the Three Stars

-Lithuania: Grand Cross of the Order of Merits to Lithuania

-Luxembourg: Dame of the Order of the Gold Lion of the House of Nassau, Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Adolphe of Nassau

-Mexico: Grand Cross of the Order of the Aztec Eagle

-Norway: Dame Grand Cross of the Order of St. Olav

-Oman: Member 1st Class of the Order of Sultan Qaboos

-Poland: Grand Cross of the Order of the White Eagle

-Portugal: Grand Cross with Collar of the Order of Prince Henry

-Slovakia: Grand Cross of the Order of the White Double Cross (7 March 2023)

-South Korea: Grand Cross of the Order of Diplomatic Service Merit (12 December 2023)

-Spain: Dame Grand Cross of the Order of Isabella the Catholic

-Sweden: Member Grand Cross of the Royal Order of Seraphim (11 October 2022) Member Grand Cross of the Royal Order of the Polar Star (21 April 2009)

-United Arab Emirates: Grand Cross of the Order of Union

- Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange (born 7 December 2003)
- Princess Alexia of the Netherlands (born 26 June 2005)
- Princess Ariane of the Netherlands (born 10 April 2007)

## Family

The second names of all three of their daughters are also the names of the last three Dutch queens: Amalia's for her grandmother, Queen Beatrix, Alexia's for her great-grandmother, Queen Juliana and Ariane's for her great-great-grandmother, Queen Wilhelmina.

## Other websites

- Queen Máxima  (official website of the Dutch Royal House)
- Reina Máxima- Biography, news, fashion,etc about Queen Máxima  non-official website, in Spanish, English and Dutch
- Ancestry of Maxima Zorreguieta (b. 1971)
- Royal House of the Netherlands
- Hello Magazine profile
- Royalty Magazine on Queen Maxima
- Gallery of Queen Maxima on RoyalImages
- Year of Microcredit

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## Infobox (royalty)

- **consort**: yes
- **name**: Máxima
- **title**: Queen Máxima of the Netherlands
- **image**: Koningin-maxima-okt-15-s.jpg
- **caption**: Princess Máxima at the wedding of Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, 19 June 2010
- **birth place**: Buenos Aires, Argentina
- **spouse**: Willem-Alexander, Prince of Orange, King Willem-Alexander
- **issue**: Princess Catharina-Amalia of the Netherlands, Catharina-Amalia, Princess of Orange
Princess Alexia of the Netherlands, Princess Alexia
Princess Ariane of the Netherlands, Princess Ariane
- **father**: Jorge Horacio Zorreguieta Stefanini
- **mother**: María del Carmen Cerruti Carricart
- **religion**: Roman Catholic
- **house**: Orange-Nassau (by marriage)