Queen Máxima of the Netherlands has been forced to make a last-minute change to her schedule. Just days after attending a series of meetings in New York on Tuesday and Wednesday, where she appeared in her role as the United Nations Secretary-General’s Special Advocate for Inclusive Finance for Development, news emerged that the Queen had returned home unwell.
Now back at Huis ten Bosch Palace, her official residence in The Hague, Queen Máxima is resting after being diagnosed with the flu. Her illness comes at a time when flu cases are on the rise across the Netherlands, exceeding the usual seasonal levels. As a result, the Queen has had to cancel her next planned appearance, an absence she has personally addressed.
On Thursday afternoon, Queen Máxima was due to travel to Rotterdam for the closing event of 'Debt Assistance for All.' An initiative focused on four key areas, analyzing debt-related problems and providing assistance, early detection of financial difficulties through data, the development of a fully digital debt-support system, and tailored, proportionate solutions adapted to individual circumstances.
According to the Government Information Service (RVD), the Queen described her absence as “such a shame,” noting that the issue is “an important part of her agenda.”
Fortunately, her withdrawal is expected to be brief, and she is anticipated to resume her official duties later this week. For now, her upcoming visit to Purmerend remains on the calendar.
The engagement centers on quality of life and community involvement, highlighting how residents work together to make their neighborhoods more welcoming, social, and safe.
If plans proceed as scheduled, the Queen will tour a youth center to learn about preventive work with younger generations, meet with a swimming-pool coach to hear about inclusion and safety initiatives, and visit a local garage that doubles as a neighborhood hub, hosting communal cooking sessions, pétanque afternoons, and even a Christmas market.
Looking ahead, two engagements planned for next week are also still in place, including a highly anticipated trip to Milan for the Winter Olympic Games.
Queen Máxima will attend alongside King Willem-Alexander, with the royal couple present at the opening ceremony, visiting the Olympic Village and Team Netherlands House, and cheering on Dutch athletes in the early competitions. The event holds particular significance for the King, who served as a member of the International Olympic Committee from 1998 until 2013, stepping down upon his accession to the throne.
Joining them will be Princess Amalia, who will attend the sporting event after completing the demanding General Military Training (AMO). The program includes combat tactics, survival skills, weapons handling, open-terrain navigation, and simulated real-deployment exercises.
On January 23, the Princess celebrated her graduation at the Spoor Barracks headquarters in Ermelo, where touching images captured Queen Máxima proudly supporting her daughter on this milestone day. Princess Amalia was promoted to corporal and is now working as a student assistant within the Defence Staff, an unpaid role she balances alongside her university studies.