The Máxima festive spirit! Dutch royals show Kate and William how it’s done as Queen and her family cuddle adorable dog Mambo in their official Christmas snaps

As royal families around the world send seasonal greetings to their loved ones, their Christmas cards and festive photo shoots are closely watched by royal watchers – and this year the Dutch royal family may have pulled off their best shoot yet.

Queen Máxima and King Willem-Alexander have released their festive family portraits for 2023 – and they even enlisted their dog Mambo to join in.

The adorable white miniature poodle almost appears to be smiling with his family as they pose for portraits in front of the Christmas tree at Huis ten Bosch Palace.

In a full family photo, 20-year-old Crown Princess Amalia, the eldest of the couple's three children, holds Mambo in her arms while wearing a scarlet wrap coat.

Another photo showed Queen Máxima crawling over the poodle and being held up by the king, who can't stop smiling.

The shoot appeared to be held on a windy day, with the Dutch queen's thick blonde locks blowing in the wind in some photos.

The family appeared to coordinate their looks by each choosing a winter coat from a complementary color palette – with Alexia opting for navy blue, while Ariane opted for jade green.

Meanwhile, the heir to the throne, Crown Princess Amalia, looked regal in red.

The eldest of the three sisters celebrated her twentieth birthday last month and thanked royal fans for their well wishes on Instagram.

Queen Máxima beamed as she held Mambo – while a gust of wind seemed to blow her thick blonde locks

Queen Máxima frowned at her dog as he was held up by King Willem-Alexander

Part of the family! Mambo posed perfectly for a family photo next to Princess Amalia, King Willem-Alexander, Queen Máxima, Princess Ariane and Princess Alexia

With Mambo against her chest, Queen Máxima laughed as a gust of wind caught her while Ariane and Alexia styled her hair

The Princess of Orange said via the account of the Netherlands Palace: 'Thank you very much for all the congratulations I received on the occasion of my twentieth birthday.

'All the heartwarming messages made my day even more special.'

It has been a turbulent few years for the heir to the throne, who is currently studying at university but is no longer allowed to live in a student house after possible kidnapping plans came to light.

During a Dutch royal tour of the Caribbean earlier this year, the Princess of Orange talked about missing “normal life, the life of a student” after a security threat forced her to move back to her home in The Hague just weeks ago . after she enrolled in college.

She said: 'I'm going to be completely honest, I'm still struggling.

'I miss normal life, the life of a student. Walking the streets, being able to go to a store.”

Meanwhile, she said she enjoyed having some freedom again during the international tour: “I had a great time.”

In October, the Dutch news agency ANP quoted 51-year-old Queen Maxima during a state visit to Sweden with her husband King Willem-Alexander: 'She can hardly leave the house.

'The consequences are very difficult for her. There is no student life for her like that of others,” she added with an unusual amount of emotional candor.

The princess's name, along with former Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte, is said to have emerged in communications between organized crime groups, indicating they may have been targeted for kidnapping.

“I am very sorry for her and of course I am very concerned about it,” the prime minister said, without revealing details of the threats or security measures.