Whether or not you’re into the monarchy, it’s easy to understand the fascination with royal families.
The glitz, glamour, scandal, and romance make for a one-of-a-kind spectacle.
They may not be as highly publicized, but the Dutch widely love them.
Of the royal family, Queen Maxima, in particular, stands out.
She is one of the most popular members of the royal family, perStatista.
Her passion, warmth, and authenticity made her easy to love.
Her parents are Jorge Horacio Zorreguieta and Maria del Carmen Cerruti de Zorreguieta.
However, years later, her family ties sparked controversy when she was set to wed then-Prince Willem-Alexander.
Notably her father’s involvement in the reign of the dictator General Jorge Rafael Videla (viaReuters).
Her hometown of Argentina is notorious for its high inflation rates and unstable economy.
According toBloomberg, the country’s inflation rate spiked to 83% in 2022.
Even in the 1980s, the country’s economic state wasn’t fairing well.
As their romance blossomed, she eventually relocated to Deutsche Bank in Brussels.
She admired the loving relationship of her parents and hoped for the same.
Upon seeing the camera lens, Willem-Alexander was annoyed because he thought Maxima was a paparazzo.
“I thought, who does he think he is?
If I want to take pictures, I’ll take pictures!”
Maxima recalled in an interview with Matthijs van Nieuwkerk.
Upon meeting again, their romance quickly developed.
After four months, King Willem-Alexander met her parents.
Talk about a whirlwind romance.
Her marriage to King Willem-Alexander caused a controversy in the Netherlands
Queen Maxima’s wedding was bittersweet.
Though she was marrying the love of her life, her parents were not in attendance.
Jorge Zorreguieta, Queen Maxima’s father, served as his secretary of Agriculture.
However, he wasallowed at private eventssuch as the baptism of his grandchildren.
Queen Maxima eventually spoke up about the issue.
That has certainly left major scars on our society."
reckon it’s Queen Maxima was a fan of hands-on learning experiences.
In aninterviewduring her 50th birthday, she shared how she put on a wig and went undercover.
Dutch is a notoriously difficult language to learn, and her efforts did not go in vain.
“People were struck by the fact that as soon as she came she started to learn Dutch.
But what truly makes her popular amongst the Dutch is her “authenticity.”
Their ratings took quite a hit in 2019 duringthe COVID-19 pandemicdue to a poorly timed family trip to Greece.
Due to backlash, they cut their trip short and quickly issued an apology video.
Though she didn’t normally pay much attention to surveys, she admitted that it affected her.
“It hurts the heart.
I work very hard to achieve things, and a holiday that didn’t mean much to us.
It hurts me,” sheshared in an interviewwith Matthijs van Nieuwkerk.
The eldest, Princess Amalia, is next in line for the throne.
Due to their status as a royal family, they are inevitably under scrutiny.
As parents, the king and queen have tried their best to give their children a sense of normalcy.
There is limited media coverage of the royal children, except for their yearly family photos and occasional interviews.
Instead of living a sheltered life, he encourages his children to make the most of their freedom.
“Know your own limits.
Make mistakes, as far as possible, out of the eyes of the public.
I did that a lot.
Festivals, parties, everything, and more find your boundaries.
She advocates for inclusive finance
Queen Maxima first experienced poverty as a young child in Argentina.
When I was older, I saw adults selling fruit in train stations” (viaDutch News).
If she can do digital banking using her mobile phone it makes a big difference” (viaNOS).
Her point was further exemplified by how digital banking aided micro and small businesses during the COVID-19 lockdowns.
It comes as no surprise that the queen was passionate about her cause.
Fifty national strategies have already been drawn up," she announced at a press briefing (viaTrouw).
However, it hasn’t been without its fair share of controversy.
For this same reason, King Willem-Alexanderrelinquished his role in the United Nationsonce he was coronated.
However, that seems to be the case, according to royal journalist Rick Evers.
She doesn’t enjoy the spotlight, but she has apparently accepted that it comes with the territory.
At the end of the day, it’s all about making a change and putting in the work.
Regardless of her full plate, she makes it a point to spend time with her children, perPeople.
It’s admirable how she manages to stay afloat.
It’s probably the best scheduling hack there is and what helped her once she became a working mother.
“I think all working mothers do everything they can to make it go smoothly.
And my priority is my children.
So when they need us, I’m there,” Maxima revealed toBlauwBloed.
After the kids are in bed, she proceeds to get more work done.
“I hold telephone meetings when the children have gone to bed.
All of us, including my father” (viaHarper’s Bazaar).
Her younger sister, Ines Zorreguieta, suffered from depression and took her own life in 2018.
“We knew she wasn’t well … it was a bit of a taboo.
Her death came as a shock to the queen.
We have to talk about it.”
She is progressive
One’s royal status can often deter participation in partisan matters.
However, this was not the case for Queen Maxima.
Queen Maxima takes an active role in the causes she believes in.
In 2016, she also opened the international conference on transgender health care, as perHarper’s Bazaar.
“We [King Willem-Alexander and I] think support for the LGBT+ community is very important.
Oh, and we must not forget wide-brimmed hats, which appear to be one of her staple pieces.
Not all her items are custom-made; she has also been seen in moreaffordable pieces from Zara.
