Only seven royal women can wear white around the pope

When Queen Camilla had an audience with Pope Francis in the Vatican this week alongside her husband King Charles, she wore black, as is customary for royal consorts and we the first ladies to do.

After having previously announced that they would no longer see the Pope after his recent hospitalization and subsequent recovery, the king and the queen made a surprise to see him on April 9, who was their 20th wedding anniversary. It marked the first time that Camilla had seen the head of the Catholic church since her husband took the throne in September 2022, and she held the “nuanced rule” (by People) to wear black, because she “does not have permission to wear white for these meetings,” added the point of sale.

A little -known royal fashion rule dictate that makes: by PeopleThere are only seven women around the world who can wear white around the pope. The tradition, called “he privilegio del bianco” in Italian and “the privilege of white” in French (who People reported translated into English into “the privilege of white”) is extended exclusively to designated Catholic queens and princesses.

The protocol stipulates that “those who have permission can wear white for papal events like a private audience, canonizations, beatifications and special masses, and they generally choose to do it”, ” People reported.

The “little club” includes Royals like Princess Charlene of Monaco, Queen Letizia of Spain, Queen Mathilde of Belgium, the great Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg and the Princess Marina of Naples. It also includes two queens whose husbands no longer reign: the question of Sofia of Spain and the Queen Paola of Belgium.

For example, Queen Mathilde recently exercised her ability to wear white when she met the Pope last September, and Princess Charlene – who, with her husband Prince Albert, regularly visits the city of the Vatican – wore white and black for the public spent with the religious chief.

Although Wednesday’s private meeting was the first time that Camilla has met Pope Francis since Charles took the throne, it was not the first time she met him. More recently, she interacted with the Pope during a visit in 2017 in Italy, but this time, she jostled the protocol, wearing a beige dress and a beige scarf instead of the traditionally accepted black outfit.

She is not the first British royal to do so. As People Reported, Queen Elizabeth – known throughout her life for her wardrobe of vibrant colors – made black but also bright colors during meetings with popes during her historic reign of 70 years, sometimes even adding tiaras.