Queen Beatrix has decided to extend her stay in the Austrian ski resort of Lech in view of her son Prince Friso's critical condition in hospital there.

The prince was critically injured on Friday when he was buried by an avalanche while skiing outside the official piste.

The government information service (RVD) says Queen Beatrix will come back to the Netherlands at the weekend and return to Austria early next week. All her appointments for next week have been cancelled.

Crown Prince Willem-Alexander, his wife Princess Máxima and their three children will stay on at the Austrian ski resort. The RVD points out that this is not an extension of their originally planned two-week ski holiday.

It remains unclear how long Prince Friso will have to stay at Innsbruck University Hospital. The RVD announced on Wednesday that there had been no change in his condition, described as stable but critical.

Appointments
Queen Beatrix was scheduled to attend the 70th anniversary commemoration of the Battle in the Java Sea on 27 February. Prince Willem-Alexander will briefly interrupt his time in Lech to replace her.

The following day Justice Minister Ivo Opstelten will replace the Queen at a symposium marking the 10th anniversary of Eurojust, an EU organisation created to fight cross-border crime.

Ceremonies in which the ambassadors of Mozambique and Djibouti were to present their credentials have been postponed.

Visitors
The Queen's third son, Prince Constantijn, his wife Princess Laurentien and Friso’s wife Princess Mabel arrived at the Innsbruck hospital early on Thursday afternoon. It was Laurentien’s first visit to her brother-in-law there. Constantijn had come once before.

School
Prince Willem-Alexander and Princess Máxima’s children will not attend school in their home town of Wassenaar next week. The RVD said that school attendance requirements were, however, being met. It is unknown when Prince Constantijn's family will return home.

(gsh/kh)

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