Dutch Crown Prince Willem-Alexander and his wife Princess Máxima are having a holiday villa built in an exclusive resort in Argentina, after political pressure forced them last week to abandon a similar project in Mozambique.

The local building registry in Argentina and a real estate dealer involved in the sale have confirmed the royal move to Dutch weekly Elsevier.

The couple turns out to have purchased two plots of land a year ago. The plots are on the border of a lake in the Muelle de Piedra holiday park close to the Argeninian ski area of Bariloche.
 

Political pressure
The couple withdrew from a similar project in Mozambique last week following sharp criticism in the Dutch lower house. Prime Minister Jan Peter Balkenende defended Willem-Alexander on 19 November by assuring MPs that the prince was not personally involved in the investment scheme, only to return to the house a day later with a letter from the prince saying he was selling the holiday villa. The crown prince and his Argentinian-born spouse together with some other wealthy Europeans wanted to invest in the luxury holiday resort, assuming that the local population would benefit. Dutch MPs cast doubts on the involvement of dubious project developing companies.

The walled holiday resort in Argentina is not above criticism either. Local politicians successfully opposed a golf course in the area's unspoilt nature. It is also claimed that security in the area has deteriorated since the arrival of the resort.

Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima (ANP Photo)