Mambo steals the spotlight once more! Dutch royal family embarrassed as their favorite dog marks territory during yearly Christmas photo session

The Dutch royal family gathered for their official Christmas photo at the Begijnhof in Amsterdam, including their cherished dog Mambo.

Queen Maxima, 53, and King Willem-Alexander, 57, stood with their three daughters in the historic courtyard dating back to the 14th century.

Princess Amalia, 20, Princess Alexia, 19, and Princess Ariane, 17, all wore long winter coats as they stood and smiled with their parents.

The official portrait is organised to ensure that the Dutch royal family’s privacy is respected by the media.

But instead of looking at the cameras, the family-of-five were left red faced as their beloved dog Mambo frolicked on the grass nearby. 

Mambo is no stranger to a camera and regularly makes an appearance in official portraits.

But this time it seems the photoshoot had gone on too long for the toy poodle.

As the royals posed for what was meant to be a heartwarming snap, Mambo is seen warming up a tree nearby.

Although his toilet break almost certainly does not live up to royal protocol, the family appeared to forgive their pooch almost instantly.

Princess Alexia drew attention to the dog’s actions, causing King Willem-Alexander and his youngest daughter Ariane to share a laugh.

Heir-to-the-throne Amalia screws up her nose in disgust – with a hint of amusement – before quickly covering her face with her hand to stifle a laugh.

Holding his leash, Queen Maxima dutifully remains looking at the cameras but appears to make a cheeky remark to her family – which makes her husband laugh even more.

The mother-of-three looks elegant as always in flowing white trousers and a white coat accentuated with a gold Yves Saint Laurent Gold brooch and pearl embellishments.

Wearing matching pearl earrings, the 53-year-old stays warm in a thick camel-coloured turtle neck and leather gloves.

King Willem-Alexander seems to be less fussed by the cold weather, wearing a striped blue shirt under a grey suit.

His eldest daughter Amalia, whom he posed with for additional photos, wears her golden tresses down over a beige coat and opts for a casual pair of blue jeans paired with a black jumper.

By her side she holds a dark brown satchel that matches her leather boots and she accentuates the laid back look with golden jewellery. 

Princess Alexia, the middle child who started an engineering degree in London this year, wears a dark grey coat with an open-collared shirt and plaid skirt poking out from underneath.

Ever classy, the princess smizes for the camera as the rest of her family sport grins.

Although Princess Ariane matches her older siblings and mother by wearing a long winter coat, she adds a youthful twist.

The 20-year-old royal looks lovely in a bright purple coat and her hair in bouncy blow-dry waves.

The Dutch royal family do make for quite a picture – and perhaps Mambo just wanted to bring them back down to earth by urinating nearby.

The family adopted Mambo in October 2021 and he was introduced on the family’s social media for World Pet Day.

Although Mambo is an integral part of their lives, the Dutch royals are also the proud owners of three Labradors named Skipper, Luna and Nala.

It has been a busy week for the King and Queen of the Netherlands who attended a charity event in Utrecht with King Willem-Alexander on Tuesday.

Maxima opted for a timeless camel ensemble to present certificates on behalf of the Oranje Fonds Growth Program at Centraal Museum.

The style-conscious royal complemented her camel outfit with a champagne-coloured leather bag by the Greek designer Marina Raphael, which retails for $469 (£371).

Having swept her blonde hair into an elegant updo, Maxima opted for her signature smokey brown eye look and was also pictured with a burgundy manicure.