Dutch royals attend funeral of queen’s sister

Queen Maxima and King Willem-Alexander of the Netherlands attended the funeral yesterday of the queen’s younger sister Ines Zorreguieta near Buenos Aires, diplomatic sources said.The couple and their three daughters were accompanied by family members and friends.The funeral took place in Pilar, 45km north of the capital.Zorreguieta, 33, died in Buenos Aires late on Wednesday in what the Dutch royal palace called a “suspected suicide”.Maxima has cancelled all her scheduled appearances until the end of next week, including visits to Latvia, Estonia, and Lithuania, according to the palace.Willem-Alexander is due to be back from the funeral in time to make the appearances alone.Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte described the news as “a big shock”.Argentinian President Mauricio Macri expressed “deep pain” over Zorreguieta’s death.The president, his wife and children “accompany the whole family at this sad moment”, Macri said in a message of condolences published in the daily La Nacion.Maxima and Ines Zorreguieta were born into the family of Jorge Zorreguieta, who held a ministerial post during Argentina’s 1976-83 military dictatorship.Ines was a bridesmaid at Maxima and Willem-Alexander’s wedding in 2002.She was also godmother to the couple’s third child, Ariana.Jorge Zorreguieta was not invited to the wedding because of his involvement with the dictatorship.Ines Zorreguieta’s death came nearly 10 months after that of her father, who passed away at age 89.Ines had reportedly been receiving treatment for psychiatric problems.