20 MAY 2005

Crown Princess Maxima of the Netherlands, elegant in a soft gold coatdress fastened with a bejewelled brooch, had some sweet words for her mother-in-law at the Apples of Orange Awards at Noordeinde Palace on Thursday.

Hosting the event with Queen Beatrix, the Argentina-born royal was helping shine the spotlight on "strong women", the subject of this year's award for social programmes and activists.

"In light of tonight's theme," said the crown princess, "I believe we've found ourselves in the right place – in a palace where one of the strongest and most successful women that I've ever met works. My mother-in-law."

The queen clearly appreciated the gesture, welcoming the remark with a warm smile directed at the exhuberant expectant mum. Maxima and her husband Willem-Alexander will welcome their second child in about two months time.

The pregnant princess paid tribute to her mother-in-law at the Apples of Orange awards in the Netherlands

Maxima described Queen Beatrix is "one of the strongest and most successful women" she'd ever met