The Netherlands is preparing to celebrate Queen Maxima’s 50th birthday next week.
Maxima will turn 50 on Monday May 17, and to mark the occasion, The Netherlands’ Post Office has released a new sheet of stamps, featuring five images of the mother-of-three.
The biggest stamp, Koningin Maxima, features an unseen retro black and white close-up snap from the monarch’s private collection, showing Maxima in New York in 1999.
It shows a profile of the then 22-year-old with freckles on her cheeks, and strands of blond hair falling down to her shoulders,.
Four other pictures in colour honour King Willem-Alexander’s wife royal duties and engagements, including her commitment to the More Music in the Classroom campaign.
A beautiful black and white portrait of Queen Maxima of the Netherlands taken in New York in 1999 has been released as a stamp to mark her 50th birthday
Another stamp shows Maxima beaming and wearing a crown in a picture which was taken at the coronatoin of King Willem-Alexander on 30 April 2013, 11 years after the couple married.
Maxima, who was then 38, was wearing a beautiful navy blue dress with golden details, and a pair of gorgeous sapphire dropped earrings and a matching brooch.
For another stamp, the queen shows her playful side, making a funny face during a 2018 event for the More Music in the Classroom campaign, of which she is the honourary chairwoman.
One of the two remaining stamps celebrates Maxima’s lasting legacy at Willem-Alexander’s side and a core member of the Dutch royal family, by showing her attending an event with her husband and his mother Queen Beatrix in 2015.
The four remaining stamps celebrate Maxima’s legacy as a monarch, from Willem-Alexander’s investiture ceremony in 2013, top left, to her More music in the Classroom campaign, top right, her humanitarian work in Jakarta, bottom right and her role as a core member of the royal family, as Queen Beatrice’s daughter-in-law, bottom left
Another sheds a light on the Queen’s humanitarian work, showing her speaking to volunteers during a visit to Jakarta.
Willem-Alexander and Maxima, who are now 53 and 49 respectively and share three daughters got engaged in March 2001 and tied the knot in a grandiose ceremony in February 2002.
At the time, the fact that Maxima, who was a 28-year-old economist, was the daughter of Jorge Zorreguieta, who served as Secretary of Agriculture under General Jorge Rafael Videla, during Argentina’s military dictatorship raised eyebrows.
Hello Magazine reported in 2016 that Willem-Alexander put his foot down and was so set on marrying Maxima he was ready to renounce the throne to be her husband.
Maxima and Willem-Alexander have been married for 19 years and share three daugthers. Their engagement was met with controversy because Maxima’s father, Jorge Zorreguieta, served as Secretary of Agriculture under General Jorge Rafael Videla, during Argentina’s military dictatorship
Maxima, who was born in Buenos Aires endeared herself to the Dutch people thanks to her warm personality and the nuptials went ahead on February 2 2002 at Nieuwe Kerk in Amsterdam church.
On the day, the bride wore a beautiful gown by Valentino, which bears some similarities to the Givenchy wedding dress Meghan Markle wore on the day she tied the knot with Prince Harry in 2018.
Willem-Alexander became King of the Netherlands in April 2013 following the abdication of his mother Queen Beatrix.
The couple have been married for 19 years and celebrated their Bronze wedding anniversary on February 2.
They have three daughters: Princess Catharina-Amalia, 17, Princess Alexia, 15, and Princess Ariane, 13.
The whole of the Nerthelands is waiting for Maxima’s birthday with anticipation.
Yesterday, the royal attended several concerts and performances put together in her honour by locals in Lisse, as part of a list of events to mark her birthday.
The Dutch Queen listened to the musical musings of a singer and piano player during her visit to the spring garden Keukenhof for the 50 Days Music campaign in honour of her birthday
The mother-of-three, who is the honorary chairwoman of the More Music in the Classroom campaign, picked a cream skirt with a matching shirt and a beige cape for the occasion.
The bashful Queen seemed delighted by the special attention showed by the locals.
In honour of the mother-of-three’s birthday, the Netherlands have started the campaign 50 Days Music, which each day marking one year of her life with musical performances.
Maxima, who has always been committed to musical education, seemed delighted when a group of young children put together a Brit Awards’ worthy show for her.
She sat down with local children and chatted with them before more music ensued.
She then moved on to listen to a pianist putting on a concerto just for her ears. The Dutch royal seemed deeply touched by each performances.
She later went to admire Lisse’s Keukenhof flower exhibition, which looked as though it had bloomed just for her visit.