Dutch Queen Maxima appears emotional during second appearance since sister's death

Queen Maxima of the Netherlands has made her second official appearance following the death of her younger sister earlier this month.

Inés Zorreguieta, 33, was found dead in her apartment in Buenos Aries, Argentina on June 6, believed to have taken her own life.

She visited a hospital in Groningen on Monday, before travelling to The Hague on Thursday for a second engagement.

The wife of King Willem-Alexander was in the city for the 10th anniversary of the Wijzer in Geldzaken, an initiative providing financial education for young people.

"Every person deserves a future without fear and stress," the mother of three told guests in a speech.

"Every person deserves opportunities to move forward in life."

"Inés was ill... she couldn't find joy and couldn't recover," she told reporters in a statement.

READ MORE: Queen Maxima of Holland's younger sister found dead in Argentina

"Our only consolation is that she has now finally been able to find peace."

The Argentina-born queen also thanked the public for their messages and expressions of support and the respect shown to her family following Zorreguieta's death.

Zorreguieta was bridesmaid at her older sister's wedding to then-Crown Prince Willem-Alexander in 2002.

She was also named godmother of the Dutch royal couple's youngest daughter, Princess Ariane.

It's been a difficult 12 months for Queen Maxima's family, with her father Jorge Horacio Zorreguieta having passed away last year in Buenos Aires at age 89.

During her Gronigen visit, she acknowledged the weeks since her sister's death had been a "difficult period".