Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander enjoyed some quality time with their family over the Christmas period.
The Dutch royals and their three daughters, Princess Catharina-Amalia, 22, Princess Alexia, 20, and Princess Ariane, 18, reportedly flew to Argentina, Queen Maxima's home country, over the holidays to spend time with their maternal family.
According to HELLO!'s sister publication, HOLA!, the Dutch royals landed in the South American country around 2pm on Friday 26 December and then travelled to Bariloche, where they have owned a home since 2009.
The five-bedroom property, named Pilpilcurá, was renovated in 2018 and is surrounded by over 7,400 acres of land, where Queen Maxima and Princess Catharina-Amalia are said to enjoy horseback riding.
"The visit had an intimate, family feel," sources told HOLA!.
Queen Maxima's mother, María del Carmen Cerruti, was said to be among the family members present for the reunion. The Argentine-born royal also has two brothers, Martín and Juan, as well as three half-sisters, María, Dolores, and Ángeles, from her late father Jorge Zorreguieta's first marriage.
© Getty ImagesKing Willem-Alexander, who has reigned since 2013, was last seen publicly on 25 December as he delivered his annual Christmas Day speech, where he referenced his beloved daughters.
"Even though our daughters are now adults, I still remember clearly what it was like," he recalled. "Your world suddenly becomes very small. Everything falls silent. Everything becomes relative, except that little creature in your arms. You want to protect it from all harm, to make it happy. That primal feeling is very strong, even during the many sleepless nights."
© Getty ImagesHe later added: "Parenting also means lovingly letting go. Children want to ride their bikes as quickly as possible without training wheels.
"They want to find their own way. They discover their limits by pushing past them. As a parent, you sometimes feel a bit anxious. But making mistakes is okay, at any age! Only then can you get to know yourself and develop into a well-rounded and resilient person who can handle the risks and setbacks in life."
Willem-Alexander's heir, Princess Catharina-Amalia, began her Dutch Law course at the University of Amsterdam last September.
© ANP/AFP via Getty ImagesMeanwhile, Princess Alexia is a student at University College London (UCL) while Princess Ariane is currently on a gap year after completing her two-year International Baccalaureate at UWC Adriatic in Italy last May.
© Getty ImagesOver the past couple of years, Princess Catharina-Amalia has gradually become more involved in official engagements, having participated in several state visits and travelling on a tour of the Dutch Caribbean in 2023.
While Catharina-Amalia and Alexia are expected to resume their studies in the coming weeks, King Willem-Alexander and Queen Maxima will host New Year's receptions for Dutch guests and for the diplomatic corps on 12 and 13 January.
