The Lavish Life Of Queen Máxima Of The Netherlands

Queen Máxima, the Netherlands' popular and progressive queen, has lived quite the life. After marrying King Willem-Alexander in 2002, Queen Máxima joined the Dutch royal family and quickly became a beloved figure in the Netherlands. But Máxima's life was much different while she was growing up. The queen was born and raised in Argentina, and though she lived in an affluent neighborhood, life in South America was nothing compared to the luxury she has enjoyed as a queen. In fact, Máxima knows well what it's like to want for money. "Although I have never gone through a divorce or been tangled up in huge debts, I too have experienced tough financial times," Máxima told Hola!, as reported by Hello!.

These days, though, Máxima couldn't have it any better. While she does have to work as a royal, the perks that come with her position are pretty good. Between swanky parties, expensive accessories, luxury trips, and beautiful homes, the Dutch royal has just about anything a person could want. Take a closer look at the lavish life of Queen Máxima of the Netherlands.

For Queen Máxima, luxury starts at home. Like any royal, Máxima lives in a palace. The Dutch royal family has called Huis ten Bosch Palace home for decades, and Máxima, King Willem-Alexander, and their children have lived there since 2019. The palace is full of history. It was originally built in 1645 as a summer home for Amalia van Solms, the wife of Frederick Henry, Prince of Orange. Before Máxima and her family lived at Huis ten Bosch Palace, Máxima's mother-in-law, Beatrix of the Netherlands, called it home. She moved out in 2014, and the palace underwent significant renovations before Máxima and company moved in. The construction took around five years and cost a reported $66 million.

The Dutch royal family has two other official residences. They also own Noordeinde Palace, a stately property that's also home to the Dutch Royal Stables and the Dutch Royal Archives. Their third official residence is the Royal Palace Amsterdam, a palace that is also open to the public and is used for galas and other special events. Before Máxima and her family moved into Huis ten Bosch Palace, they lived at Villa De Eikenhorst in Wassenaar.

Part of the reason royal families of various countries live such lavish lives is because they have access to state resources, and states have much more income at their disposal than most regular citizens. States also have loads of assets, and the current custodians often get to use those assets as their own. For Queen Máxima, this means flying on a private jet. The royal family of the Netherlands get to use the country's Boeing 737 Business Jet, a swanky aircraft that has more amenities than many homes. The plane features a bathroom replete with a shower that can run for 20 minutes, multiple cabins with plenty of seating, and an audio-video system that keeps extraneous noise at a minimum. There's more than enough room for Queen Máxima and her family, as well as any other passengers that might tag along.

Flying private is expensive no matter what, but it becomes far pricier when an aircraft is owned versus chartered. The Dutch government had to purchase the plane that the royal family gets to use, and the aircraft's price was reportedly nearly $100 million. Those who own a private jet also have to pay pilots, and those yearly salaries typically range from around $50,000 to $250,000. Private jet owners also have to pay maintenance and operational costs, which include jet fuel, a commodity that varies in price but is typically much more expensive than fuel for a car and gets used in much greater volumes. Any time Queen Máxima flies private, the state is spending thousands of dollars at minimum.

One major part of a royal's job is diplomacy. While few royals in the world have legitimate political power in their country, they do play a big part in maintaining good relationships with other states. This leads many royals to travel across the world quite frequently, and it's no different for Queen Máxima. The Dutch royal goes all over the globe to meet with ambassadors and work to find solutions to problems that their countries face. Máxima has been to dozens of countries on multiple continents. In 2024, for example, Máxima traveled with her husband to the United States, making pit stops in New York and Georgia. Wherever Máxima goes, her goals remain the same. "Whether it is Latin America or Africa, Europe or Asia, it is about being able to make a difference, not where it is easier. And it is precisely in countries where it may not necessarily be easy that a lot of difference can be made," Máxima said in an interview with Hola!, as reported by Hello!.

Máxima doesn't only travel for work, though. Every now and again, she gets to take a vacation, and she's got great options. The Dutch royal family owns vacation homes in Europe and South America. For instance, they have an estate in Argentina, the home country of Queen Máxima, as well as a villa in Tuscany. In 2012, they purchased a home in Kranidi, Greece for a few million dollars. Máxima and her husband once owned real estate in Mozambique, but they sold it after facing some controversy over the property.

Queen Máxima has plenty of posh ways to travel, including by yacht. The Dutch royal family owns a yacht, and they reportedly use it to travel to different islands in Greece since they own a home in the Mediterranean country. King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima purchased the boat in 2020, reportedly for over $2 million. It's a 16-meter-long Wajer 55, and it's spacious enough inside to sleep four people. There's a bathroom and a galley on board, and it comes with a built-in jet tender. The yacht that the Dutch royal family owned before their newer boat was sold in 2023 for around $300,000, per Auto Evolution.

When Queen Máxima is on a boat that isn't her own yacht, chances are she's on the Green Dragon, the boat owned by Beatrix of the Netherlands, Máxima's mother-in-law and the former Dutch queen. Máxima has also been known to take trips on boats not owned by the royal family, like in 2018 when she and her husband visited Germany and saw the Rhein river via boat. The queen also spends time at events regarding yachts. In 2019, for example, Máxima attended the opening of Feadship's shipyard on Kaag Island. And in 2016, Queen Máxima christened ms Koningsdam, Holland America Line's ship that can carry over 2,600 people and subsequently went on a 13-day trip to Norway, the Baltic, and Iceland.

While many aspects of royal life have changed with modern times, one tradition has remained: queens get to wear stunning jewels. Queen Máxima of the Netherlands is no different. The royal has access to a collection of dazzling pieces, including tiaras, each one containing rare and expensive stones and having loads of historical significance. One of Queen Máxima's tiaras is the Stuart Tiara. This headpiece is constructed of a bevy of round white diamonds and features a truly stunning 40-carat pale blue pear-shaped diamond that was originally purchased in the late 1600s by William III and Mary II during their marriage. William and Mary didn't have children, so the diamond was given to the Netherlands because William was of Dutch origin. Around 200 years later, the diamond was set into the Stuart Tiara, which has been passed on to generations of Dutch monarchs since.

Queen Máxima also has access to beautiful parures, including the Dutch Emerald Parure and the Dutch Aquamarine Parure, both of which come with a tiara and other pieces. The Dutch Emerald Parure, for example, includes earrings, bracelets, a brooch, a ring, and a necklace. The parure has taken multiple shapes since it was first created in the late 1800s with jewels purchased the century before, as the gemstones have been reworked to add more pieces to the set. The Dutch Aquamarine Parure was made in the art deco style, and each of its pieces feature large aquamarines in various shapes, making for one of the most unique jewelry sets among royals today.

Queen Máxima is a busy woman, and she has to dress up for her day-to-day events. And for said day-to-day events, Maxima can often be found wearing a designer outfit. For example, the royal has been photographed wearing a stunning powder blue Valentino dress on multiple occasions, including Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco's wedding. Máxima has been known to support the Belgian brand Natan, and she's got pieces from designers like Max Mara, Zimmermann, and Oscar de la Renta.

Queen Máxima hasn't always been known for her fashion choices, but as she's evolved in her royal position, she's found a sense of style that's wholly her own. The royal has been known to use her style to communicate messages, especially when she's traveling. "It's a statement of confidence and strength, echoing the symbolism of each hue and often paying homage or deference to the towns she visits or the people she is meeting," stylist Sandy Lancaster said of the royal's style to the Daily Mail. 

Máxima has also become a bit of a maximalist in her style evolution. The queen gravitates toward bold colors and statement jewelry, showing that she's unafraid of patterns and willing to take fashion risks. "Through her dynamic use of colour, Queen Máxima not only showcases her personal style, but also communicates confidence and her powerful presence on the global stage," Lancaster said. Though she's not quite as famous as some other royals, Máxima can go toe-to-toe with any fashionable noble on the planet.

A royal wedding is almost always a major event, and it's almost always incredibly spectacular. Queen Máxima's wedding to King Willem-Alexander was both of those things. The couple included many elements of a typical royal wedding. For example, the groom wore his Royal Netherlands Navy uniform and the bride wore a custom Valentino gown. The couple rode through town in a carriage after exchanging vows to wave to Dutch citizens in the street. They also had plenty of royal guests from around the world, including then-Prince Charles.

Some aspects of their wedding were rather unique, though. While many royal brides borrow jewelry from the host country's collection, Queen Maxima had a stunning royal wedding tiara designed for the occasion (though she did use some Dutch gemstones for her custom look). Máxima and Willem-Alexander also opted to keep their wedding off television. "Although our wedding is, of course, a public wedding, and one which holds a lot of interest for the media, we would like it to be our wedding as far as possible," Willem-Alexander said on television ahead of his wedding (via Hello!). "Our wedding is not a reality show." Despite it not being broadcast, Máxima and Willem-Alexander's wedding included many expensive details. Máxima's engagement ring, for example, features a three-and-a-half-carat orange diamond, and experts estimated that it cost around $250,000 at the time. The couple also took a honeymoon to St. Moritz, Switzerland, a town known for being luxurious.

Lifestyles that are truly lavish aren't marked by items that money can buy but by unique experiences only afforded to a select few. Queen Máxima has enough money to buy just about anything she wants in life, but in years ago, she and her husband were honored with something that they garnered through popularity and prestige – wax figures at Madame Tussauds Amsterdam. Being immortalized in a wax figure is a strange honor, but an honor nonetheless. Madame Tussauds is the premier arbiter of wax figures around the world, and the company only chooses people with lasting cultural cachet to be made out of wax. Not many royals have had the honor; Queen Máxima and Willem-Alexander join members of the British royal family (both past and present) as some of the only royals with wax figures made by Madame Tussauds, as well as some other members of the Dutch royal family.

And there's a reason only certain people become wax figures — they're wildly expensive to make. Just one wax figure costs around $212,000 to make. The creation process is lengthy, too, and requires the model to undergo around 200 measurements to begin. From there, the figures are hand-sculpted and a team of people finish up with hair, makeup, and wardrobe. Wax figures are also typically accompanied by some sort of appropriate background, which only adds to the total cost of the exhibit. Models are not paid to be made into wax figures, but it is a symbol of their significant impact on the world.

Everyone in the world has a birthday each year, but few get to celebrate their day with as much pomp and circumstance as a royal. For milestone birthdays, Queen Máxima has had incredibly lavish celebrations. When she turned 40 in 2011, Queen Máxima celebrated the occasion with an enormous party. The Royal Concertgebouw Orchestra put on a private concert for Máxima and her family. The guests — which included royals from around the world like Crown Prince Frederik and Crown Princess Mary of Denmark, as well as Crown Prince Pavlos and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece — were decked out in some of their finest clothing, and they all walked the red carpet at the beginning of the party.

When Máxima turned 50, in addition to having another beautiful concert, she participated in a rare television interview in which she reflected on her life and work, and the Netherlands issued a commemorative coin in honor of the queen's birthday, as well as golden stamps. Anyone can go out for their birthday, but only a select few can have custom coins and stamps made for them.

Queen Máxima keeps the company of other incredibly posh people. She has friends from around the world, many of whom are also royal. Of course, being friends with other royals allows Maxima to engage in lots of unique and lavish happenings. As noted, Queen Máxima celebrated her 40th birthday with a plethora of other nobles. Among the guest list were Crown Princess Miriam, Prince Kyril and Princess Rosario of Bulgaria, as well as Crown Prince Haakon, Princess Martha Louise and Ari Behn of Norway. Máxima is also friendly with the British royal family, and she and her husband, King Willem-Alexander, traveled to London in 2011 to attend Prince William and Princess Catherine's wedding.

Queen Máxima has also spent quite a bit of time with the Greek royal family over the years. As noted, Crown Prince Pavlos and Crown Princess Marie-Chantal of Greece were at Maxima's 40th birthday party, and in 2024, the families were together again for a special event in Athens. Máxima, Pavlos, and Marie-Chantal were joined by Máxima's daughter, Princess Catharina-Amalia, heir to the Dutch throne, as well as the Greek royal children, Prince Nikolaos, Prince Philippos, and Princess Theodora.