Queen Maxima of Holland’s sister has died of an apparent suicide at the age of 33.
The queen’s younger sister Inés Zorreguieta was found dead at her home in Buenos Aires on Wednesday night.
Inés worked for the government in Argentina in the Ministry of Social Development.
A spokesman for the Dutch government confirmed her death to La Nacion, adding: ‘Presumably, it was suicide.’
She is thought to have suffered from depression and mental health issues.
Queen Maxima of Holland’s sister Inés Zorreguieta (pictured second from left) has died of an apparent suicide at the age of 33
Her body was removed from her home in the early of hours of Thursday morning and a post-mortem examination will take place.
Queen Maxima has pulled out of all upcoming engagements, according to Hello! magazine.
She is expected to travel to her native Argentina for her sister’s funeral.
She had been due to attend Holland Festival this week, but her appearance has been cancelled.
Queen Maxima and her sister Inés are seen greeting each other in Buenos Aires in 2016
Inés Zorreguieta, pictured with her late father Jorge Zorreguieta last year, worked for the government in Argentina
Queen Maxima and Inés are pictured as the Dutch royal made a trip to Argentina after their father was hospitalised last year
She had also been set to accompany her husband, King Willem-Alexander, on their tour of Estonia, Lithuania and Latvia next week.
It comes after Queen Maxima, her husband and their three children flew to Argentina last year to attend the funeral of her father after his death from cancer at the age of 89.
Inés was the youngest of Jorge Zorreguieta and María del Carmen Cerruti’s children.
She was also godmother to Queen Maxima’s 11-year-old daughter Princess Ariane.
She travelled to Holland for her sister’s wedding in 2002, but their father was not permitted to attend due to his role as Argentina’s Minister of Agriculture during General Jorge Rafael Videla’s dictatorship.
Queen Maxima (pictured in Amsterdam on Wednesday) has pulled out of all upcoming engagements