The Royal Family of The Netherlands has been struck by tragedy after Queen Maxima’s younger sister was found dead at her home in Argentina, aged 33.
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, who is godmother to Queen Maxima’s 11-year-old daughter Princess Ariane, is believed to have suffered from depression, reports Express UK.
Ms Zorreguieta studied psychology at a university in Argentina and worked for the government there as an official in the Ministry of Social Development.
Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte wished the Queen and her family, “all the strength needed to carry this awful loss”.
She was briefly admitted to a psychiatric ward, according to royal central.
He said in a statement: “The sudden death of the sister of the Queen comes as a great shock.
“It is intensely sad and heartbreaking news, that is hard to comprehend for those that are left behind.”
Queen Maxima, 47, has cancelled all her upcoming engagements and is set to fly home to her native Argentina in a few hours.
The Dutch Queen was due to attend music event, Holland Festival, this week and a tour of Latvia, Lithuania and Estonia with her husband King Willem-Alexander.
Ms Zorreguieta was the youngest child of the late Jorge Zorreguieta and María del Carmen Cerruti Carricart.
Queen Maxima has two brothers, Juan Zorreguieta Cerruti and Martín Zorreguieta Cerruti and three half-sisters Dolores Zorreguieta López, María Zorreguieta López, Ángeles Zorreguieta López
The royal travelled to her native Argentina last summer when her father Jorge passed away following a battle with non-Hodgkin’s lymphoma.
