Queen Máxima of the Netherlands

Born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, Máxima Zorreguieta Cerruti married King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands and became the very first Dutch queen consort since way back in 1890. Queen Máxima is also a descendant of King Afonso III of Portugal, through her father.

Máxima attended the Pontifical Catholic University of Argentina where she obtained an economics degree and later got a Masters while in the United States. As a banker by training, she took on an economic platform as her cause when she became Queen.

In fact, she focused on developing countries, where poor families lived in uncertain conditions, both in the overall economy and in day-to-day work. There was a need that Máxima choose to address and she brought about more opportunities and financial services to decrease vulnerability. However, when she started to work on financial inclusion, many working people around the world were excluded from the system.

It will take a lot of time and effort to change the policies that are currently in place and to be innovative. However, with Máxima’s political knowledge, energy and technical proficiency on different issues she plays an important role as the Special Advocate to the U.N. Secretary-General.

The given name Máxima is the Spanish feminine version of Maximus, which is a Roman family name. The name Maximus was derived from the Latin word maximus that means “greatest”. The name became popular after it was given to Saint Maximus, who was a theologian and monk from Constantinople back in the 7th century.