As fairy already said, Carina did a terrific job
I've tried my skills too and translated some parts!
Enjoy
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When Maxima was at school, she answered the yearbook question of what she wants to do in her life with: “Too much to write it all down”
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Laurencio Adot (childhood friend of Maxima):
“She was always surrounded by friends. She was very humorous and adventurous. At the same time, she was a bit shy. She had a pretty strict catholic upbringing, at home and at school. During the summer then used to go out and have fun.
How shall I describe Maxima? She’s like a perfume. Maybe like a French perfume. A very fresh scent but very intensive. A scent you don’t forget.”
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At the age of 18, Maxima enrolled at the Catholic University of Buenos Aires and studied economics. Afterwards, she had no problems finding a job; she started working for an American Bank. Says her former boss, Mario Rossi:
“I think Maxima often surprised people with her relaxed and unconventional being. In the evening she sometimes used to walk barefoot around the office because her feet hurt. She was very intelligent and could cope easily with difficult situations. And she had the special gift of approaching people and charming them.”
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Laurencio Adot (childhood friend of Maxima):
“She was sad because she had to leave Argentina, her friends and her family behind. I told her: you’ll never find a suitable husband here. She looked at me and said: “Laurencio, do you really believe that?” And I said: Yes, it will be really difficult to find a man who values such a smart girl like you are. Somehow I was sure that in New York, she’d find what she was looking for.”
(At the age of 25, Maxima moved to New York where she lived in Chelsea. She worked as sales manager for Deutsche Bank)
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In August 1999, Beatrix invited Maxima to Porto Ercole, Tuscany (where the family spends the summer holidays)
Maxima: “I have to say I was very nervous. But it went well. Alexander’s mother asked a few questions – and she did so very directly – she wanted to know what I did in New York, and what I wanted to do with my life. And how my old life looked like. Claus spoke to me in Spanish which I thought was great. He wanted to know more about Argentina, about the literature and the art and my life there. And all in Spanish!”
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Avi Primor (friend of the royal family) (Carina already translated this part):
“Claus was the first one who understood that Maxima was a very good element. He wanted to know what I think about her. So he invited me to dinner. Maxima was also there but I didn’t know who she was. I was very impressed by her. It was a wonderful talk and she was extremely nice and had a lot of charisma. Later, Claus asked me what think about her and I said I’m absolutely delighted … and I asked “Who is that?”
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Engagement interview March 30, 2001
(There was the huge controversy going on about Maxima’s father and about an interview Willem-Alexander gave in New York on March 6, 2001, in which he claimed that Maxima’s father had been exonerated by a reader’s letter. When asked if he knew who wrote that letter, WA had to admit he didn’t know. It turned out that that letter was in fact written by ex-general Videla)
Back to engagement interview:
Maxima and Willem-Alexander enter the room.
Reinildis van Oitzhyzen (royalty expert):
“There was absolute silence. Nobody said a word. There was death silence. When they came in, everybody remained seated. That was very embarrassing as if they were “thrown before the lions”. Then they said down and she had to answer questions on live TV.”
In fluent Dutch, Maxima read out that her father will not attend the wedding to allow her and WA to take the next step and that she’s very grateful for that.
Then the question came why WA mentioned this letter (cf. above) in that interview.
With her answer, Maxima took the wind out of the journalists’ sail. She said: “That was bit stupid” (Laughter then in the audience).
Reinildis van Oitzhyzen (royalty expert):
“And at the end [of the engagement interview] everybody was thrilled about Maxima and has been ever since then. It was incredible how within half an hour, the atmosphere changed from minus 40 to plus 40.
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Wedding ceremony:
Miguel Reynal (friend of Maxima):
“I was impressed by how natural she looked in that moment, very relaxed. She looked beautiful. She didn’t seem to be nervous at all.”
Tango played during the ceremony:
Miguel Reynal: “The tango evokes an immensely powerful feeling. I think it was in that moment that Maxima really realized that she would leave her family and country behind to live for the rest of her life in Europe.”
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Maxima on an engagement, she visited home for elderly people (wearing red dress and hat):
Maxima: So how long have you been living here?
Man: Ten years … and who are you by the way?
(Laughter)
Maxima: I am the wife of the crown prince.
Man: Maxima!
Maxima: Yes, Maxima, yes.
Man: (can’t understand what he says here)
Maxima: Do I look so differently in person?
Man: From the photos, yes.
Maxima: Well, I’m a bit pregnant.
(Laughter)
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