ARGENTINA: Just hours before Argentina's Princess Maxima receives the unofficial title of Queen in the Netherlands, Buenos Aires celebrates with a special tango concert

Record ID: 447395

  • Title: ARGENTINA: Just hours before Argentina's Princess Maxima receives the unofficial title of Queen in the Netherlands, Buenos Aires celebrates with a special tango concert
  • Date: 30th April 2013
  • Summary: (SOUNDBITE) (English) DUTCH TOURIST, HENNA KEMPKES, SAYING: "Everybody in Argentina is very, very happy. It's nice you have a pope, you have Messi, you have Diego Maradona and now you have a queen. It's fantastic."
  • Embargoed: 15th May 2013 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Argentina
  • Country: Argentina
  • Topics: Arts
  • Reuters ID: LVACEQHM4GSO0PWA9DVDFD2VJDDM
  • Story Text: Argentina celebrated its soon-to-be first queen on Monday (April 29) night with a special tango concert in honour of Princess Maxima just before she receives the unofficial title of Queen and her husband Willem-Alexander is crowned King of the Netherlands.
    Aptly titled "A Tango For Maxima", the event organised by Buenos Aires' Culture Ministry in cooperation with Argentina's Dutch Embassy was set in the capital's iconic United Nation's Plaza and featured the classical works of renowned tango composer Astor Piazzolla.
    Dutch royal fever has gripped Argentina since Queen Beatrix announced she would pass on her crown to her eldest son Willem-Alexander, making him the first Dutch king in over 120 years and Maxima Holland's first Argentine queen.
    Just hours before the royal handover, the South American country was in a festive mood.

    "Everybody in Argentina is very, very happy. It's nice you have a pope, you have Messi, you have Diego Maradona and now you have a queen. It's fantastic," said Dutch tourist, Henna Kempkes.
    With Buenos Aires and Amsterdam announcing various art and cultural exchange programmes in anticipation of the royal coronation, Argentina's Dutch Ambassador Hein De Vries believes queen-to-be Maxima may help push closer ties between Holland and the wider Latin American region.

    "Argentina is going well economically and Holland is very interested in greater ties with the countries of Latin America. And it could be with Maxima that Holland will get a boost with Latin American countries," he said.
    Argentine Princess Maxima married Willem-Alexander in 2002 and the couple have three daughters, Princesses Catharina-Amalia, Alexia and Ariane.
    Although the marriage was originally controversial after reports Maxima's father Jorge Zorreguieta served in Argentina's military dictatorship emerged, Princess Maxima has endeared herself to the Argentine and Dutch public.
    Although granted Dutch citizenship by royal decree, Maxima had chosen to hold onto her Argentina citizenship and has visited her home country various times since becoming princess.
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