The youngest sister of Queen Máxima of the Netherlands has been found dead in her apartment in Bueno Aires. Inés Zorreguieta, 33, who worked as a researcher at the United Nations in Panama and was also a talented guitarist, was reported by Argentinian and Dutch media to have killed herself. The King of the Netherlands, Willem-Alexander, and Queen Máxima are flying to Argentina for the funeral. Zorreguieta enjoyed a close relationship with her sister and was bridesmaid at her wedding to the then Dutch Crown Prince Willem-Alexander in 2002. She was godmother to the royal couple’s youngest daughter, Princess Ariane, 11. The Queen, originally from Argentina, was said by the royal household to be “very shocked and very sad”. Máxima, 47, has two brothers, Martin and Juan, and three half sisters, Maria, Dolores and Ángeles. Inés Zorreguieta with her sister Queen Máxima of the Netherlands. Photograph: Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Images The Dutch prime minister, Mark Rutte, said: “The sudden death of Queen Máxima’s sister comes as a big shock. It is intensely sad and heartbreaking news that can hardly be comprehended for those who stay behind. “With our hearts and our thoughts we are with the queen and her family. I wish them all the strength necessary to carry this horrible loss together. And I trust that they will get the peace and space for that.” A Dutch government spokesperson told Dutch NOS TV that Zorreguieta’s death appeared to have been suicide. Zorreguieta was a psychologist who worked on social policies at the office of Argentina’s president, Mauricio Macri. She had also worked for the social development ministry in Buenos Aires province and at a UN office in Panama. Her father, Jorge Horacio Zorreguieta, who served as agriculture minister during Argentina’s brutal military dictatorship, died last year in Buenos Aires, aged 89. His past caused some controversy in the Netherlands, and prompted a debate in the Dutch parliament before his daughter’s marriage to the crown prince. Associated Press contributed to this report<doc-sep>He had served as agriculture minister during Argentina's brutal military dictatorship - a link that caused some controversy in the Netherlands, and led to a debate in the Dutch parliament, before his daughter married the crown prince.<doc-sep>When you subscribe we will use the information you provide to send you these newsletters. Sometimes they'll include recommendations for other related newsletters or services we offer. Our Privacy Notice explains more about how we use your data, and your rights. You can unsubscribe at any time. Sign up fornow and never miss the top Royal stories again. Inés Zorreguieta was discovered at her apartment in Buenos Aires on Wednesday night, the Dutch government has confirmed. The cause of her death is currently unknown but a post-mortem examination will take place. Ms Zorreguieta, godmother to Queen Maxima’s 11-year-old daughter Princess Ariane, is believed to have suffered from depression. She was briefly admitted to a psychiatric ward, according to royal central.<doc-sep>Queen Maxima of the Netherlands’ sister was found dead of an apparent suicide at her apartment in Buenos Aires on Wednesday night Queen Maxima of the Netherlands' Sister, 33, Found Dead in Her Home of Apparent Suicide Queen Maxima of the Netherlands’ sister was found dead of an apparent suicide at her apartment in Buenos Aires on Wednesday night, according to reports, including the BBC. She was 33. “It is presumed that it was a suicide,” a spokesman of the Dutch government told the Argentinian newspaper, La Nacion. Get push notifications with news, features and more. Inés Zorreguieta, the younger sister of Queen Maxima, a native Argentinian, worked for the government in Argentina as an official in the Ministry of Social Development. In a statement to Dutch newspaper, De Volkskrant, the Dutch government said that Queen Máxima is “shocked and devastated” by the news of her sister’s death. According to reports, Inés suffered from depression and mental health issues. (FILE PHOTO) Queen Maxima of Netherlands' Sister Found Dead Ines Zorreguieta with Queen Maxima in October 2016 | Credit: Patrick van Katwijk/Getty (FILE PHOTO) Queen Maxima of Netherlands' Sister Found Dead Ines Zorreguieta and her father, Jorge Horacio Zorreguieta, in October 2016 | Credit: Patrick van Katwijk/Getty Maxima has canceled all of her upcoming scheduled appearances and is believed to be making plans to travel to Buenos Aires. Inés was the godmother to Queen Maxima’s youngest daughter, Princess Ariane, 11. Queen Maxima, 47, married then Dutch Crown Prince Willem-Alexander in 2002 after meeting in Seville, Spain, in 1999 during the Seville Spring Fair. They have three daughters. Maxima has said that she didn’t know her future husband was a royal when they met, and that he introduced himself as “Alexander.” Their relationship initially resulted in controversy due to the fact that Maxima’s father, Jorge Horacio Zorreguieta, was a controversial figure, who at one point even threatened Maxima’s marriage to Willem-Alexander. Day 1 - Dutch Royals Visit Portugal Queen Maxima of the Netherlands | Credit: Patrick van Katwijk/Getty The Dutch Royal Family Hold Annual Photo Call In Lech King Willem-Alexander, Queen Maxima and their children, Princess Ariane, Princess Alexia and Princess Catharina-Amalia | Credit: Jan Hetfleisch/Getty Zorreguieta served as the Secretary of Agriculture the during the dictatorship of President Jorge Rafael Videla (who is now not recognized as a legitimate president by the Argentinian government), as well as the beginnings of the Dirty War, a military regime that saw the disappearance and murder of thousands of Argentinians, according to the New York Times. Zorreguieta resigned before the end of Videla’s presidency argued that he wasn’t aware of the Dirty War, as he was a civilian during the majority of it. However, public outcry was so strong in the Netherlands that the Dutch Parliament asked an outside expert, Professor Michael Baud to look into the matter. Baud announced that Zorreguieta’s ignorance of the crimes would have been unlikely. The marriage was still approved by Parliament, because Maxima herself was not involved, but Zorreguieta was not permitted to attend their wedding, according to Dutch News. Her mother also did not attend the nuptials, out of respect for her husband. queen-maxima-1 Credit: Patrick van Katwijk/Getty (2) Though he wasn’t able to attend his daughter’s wedding, as it was seen as a state occasion, Zorreguieta did attend the christenings of all three of his granddaughters, which were considered private, family events. Last summer, Maxima traveled with her husband and their daughters to attend the funeral of her father, who died in August at the age 89 following a battle with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.<doc-sep>
The sister of Dutch Queen Maxima committed suicide in her apartment in Buenos Aires, officials said. Inés Zorreguieta, 33, was found at her home in Argentina after a battle with depression and mental health issues, according to the BBC. “It is presumed that it was a suicide,” a spokesman for the Dutch government told Argentinian newspaper La Nacion. Queen Maxima, 47, a native of Argentina, is “shocked and devastated” by her younger sister’s death, according to a statement to Dutch newspaper De Volksrant. She canceled her upcoming engagements including a state visit to Estonia, Latvia and Lithuania. Zorreguieta was a bridesmaid at her sister’s wedding to then-Dutch Crown Prince Willem-Alexander in 2002 and was godmother to their youngest of three daughters, 11-year-old Princess Ariane. She was a civil servant who had been working for the Argentinian government since 2016, in an office that oversees social policies. Between 2009 and 2011 she worked at the United Nations headquarters of Panama but returned to Argentina in 2012 after a breakup. Reports of her receiving medical treatment for problems with her diet and depression began circulating when she returned to the country. Aside from her royal sister, Zorreguieta has two brothers, Martin and Juan, and three half-siblings. The father of Inés and Maxima, Jorge Zorreguieta, served as agriculture minister during Argentina’s brutal military dictatorship and died last year of Hodgkin’s lymphoma at 89. His post caused an uproar in the Netherlands — the Dutch parliament held a debate before Maxima married the crown prince and her father wasn’t allowed to attend their nuptials. Tributes were paid to the “very beautiful and talented” Zorreguieta on a video her brother Martin posted of her singing and playing the guitar last year.