Queen Beatrix of the Netherlands arrives at Austria's University Clinic of Innsbruck.

She is there to see her son, Prince Johan Friso, who remains in critical condition after a skiing accident in the Austrian Alps.

The prince was pulled out of the snow unconscious after being buried in an avalanche for 20 minutes.

He was resuscitated on site and then taken to hospital where staff describe his condition as "stable but life-threatening."

Friso was skiing with a companion off the marked trails when the 30 meter by 40 meter avalanche struck.

The Dutch royal family often spends winter holidays in Austria, which has seen a heavy blanketing of snow in recent weeks.

Jessica Gray, Reuters