Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration Mass witnessed world leaders gathered in St. Peter’s Square, Vatican City on Sunday. Many European royal women were spotted in white whereas all others were dressed in black.
What is the privilège du blanc?
Catholic queens or princesses are permitted to wear white in the presence of the Pope and it is called the privilege of the white or privilège du blanc. According to tradition non-Catholic royal women must wear black in the Pope’s presence.
Catholic royals are allowed to wear white dresses with long sleeves, high neck and a white mantilla on their head. For all other royal women, the dress code remains the same but in black.
Royal women still adhere to the black dress code, however there have been exceptions, such as Queen Elizabeth II donning a lavender dress to meet Pope Francis. The Vatican currently sees the dress code as more of a guideline than a mandate.
On Sunday, at the inauguration mass of Pope Leo XIV, Queen Mathilde of Belgium, Queen Letizia of Spain, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg and Princess Charlene of Monaco were dressed in white.
Crown Princess Victoria of Sweden, who is Lutheran through the Church of Sweden, arrived in black. Despite being a devout Catholic, Queen Máxima of the Netherlands married into a Protestant royal family and brought up her daughters in their faith. As a result, she is not granted the privilege du white.
Only seven royal women currently are allowed the privilège du blanc including Queen Sofía and Queen Letizia of Spain, Queen Mathilde and Queen Paola of Belgium, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg, Princess Charlene of Monaco, and Princess Marina of Savoy.
Charlene was given the privilege of wearing white in 2013 after meeting with the late Pope Benedict XVI, whereas the most of these royal women had done so for many years in their own nations. Later, the Vatican issued a statement saying that the Monégasque royal was permitted to wear white since she was the wife of a Catholic king. Her predecessor, Princess Grace, was not granted the permission of meeting with Popes Pius XII, John XXIII, and John Paul II.
Additionally, Spanish queens can choose to accessorise their mantilla with a peineta, which is a hairpiece with a comb that sits beneath the lace. Only once, during her meeting with Pope John Paul II in 2004, Letizia donned a mantilla and peineta, and she has never done so again. In contrast, Sofía wore it to numerous engagements where popes were present.
Considered a gift from the Vatican to Catholic rulers who have remained faithful over the ages, the privilège du white represents their innocence and purity.