MASSIMA REGINA

Speranza

Queen Máxima was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, on 17 May 1971 as Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti. She is the daughter of Jorge Horacio Zorreguieta and María del Carmen Cerruti de Zorreguieta. She has two brothers, one sister and three half-sisters (Lopez Gil).  Queen Máxima grew up in Buenos Aires. Máxima passed her baccalaureate examinations at Northlands School in 1988. She graduated in economics from the Universidad Católica Argentina in 1995. From 1989 to 1990, while still at university, she worked for Mercado Abierto SA, where she did research into software for financial markets. From 1992 to 1995, she worked in the Sales Department of Boston Securities SA in Buenos Aires. She also taught English to children and adults, and mathematics to secondary school pupils and first-year students. From July 1996 to February 1998, the Queen worked for HSBC James Capel Inc. in New York, where she was Vice-President of Latin American Institutional Sales. From then until July 1999 she was Vice-President of the emerging markets division of Dresdner Kleinwort Benson in New York, specialising in Equities. She then moved to Deutsche Bank in New York, where she was Vice-President of Institutional Sales. From May 2000 to March 2001, she worked at the EU Representative Office of Deutsche Bank in Brussels.           On 30 March 2001, Máxima Zorreguieta became engaged to the Prince of Orange. She became a Dutch citizen on 17 May 2001.  On 3 July 2001, the two houses of parliament passed a bill submitted by the government consenting to the marriage.           The civil marriage ceremony was conducted by the Mayor of Amsterdam, Job Cohen, in the Beurs van Berlage on 2 February 2002. On her marriage, Máxima received the title of Princess of the Netherlands. The religious ceremony took place at the Nieuwe Kerk. In spring 2003, the couple moved to Eikenhorst on the De Horsten estate in Wassenaar. Their first child, Princess Catharina-Amalia/Princess of Orange, was born on 7 December 2003. Their second child, Princess Alexia, was born on 26 June 2005 and their third child, Princess Ariane, on 10 April 2007. All were born at Bronovo Hospital in The Hague -Member of the Council of State -Member of thel ‘Curatorium van de Leerstoel Management van Diversiteit en Integratie’ at the Vije Universiteit in Amsterdam. -Member of the council of the Het Loo Foundation, National Museum. -Member of the Council for Microfinanciering in The Netherlands. -Patroness of the Oranje Fonds. -Patroness of Scouting Nederland. -Patroness of the Koninklijk Instituut voor de Tropen. -Patroness of the Royal Orchesta Foundation. -Patroness of the Royal Institute for Culture and Language -The Queen chairs the Board of Trustees of the Prince Claus Chair - Queen Máxima was a member of the Committee for Ethnic Minority Women’s Participation from July 2003 till summer 2005. - Máxima was involved in the Advisors Group to the International Year of Microcredit 2005. In February 2005 the Queen visited Uganda and Kenya to see microcredit in action. She also met with government, business and NGO representatives. At the end of 2005 Máxima made similar visits to Brazil and Argentina. From June 2006 till January 2009, she joined the United Nations Advisors Group on Inclusive Financial Sectors. -           Máxima enjoys nature, the arts, music and dance. She also enjoys skiing, water sports and running.           The queen speaks four languages: Spanish, English, Dutch and French.