Queen Camilla recently made a fashion statement in a black dress and veil during her and King Charles’ historic meeting with Pope Leo. The 78-year-old Queen chose a silk dress by Fiona Clare and paired it with a mantilla designed by Philip Treacy. However, it was widely noted that multiple queens have been permitted to wear white when meeting the pontiff.
Unlike Camilla, 7 royal women enjoy a rare Vatican honour extended to designated Catholic queens and princesses
While it’s tradition for royal women to wear all black, including a black veil, for a formal audience with the pope, a select group of royal women have the rare privilege of wearing white before the pope. This custom is known as “il privilegio del bianco” or “the privilege of the white” and it’s reserved for certain Catholic queens and princesses.
Only seven female royals have this privilege in the world. The royals are Princess Charlene of Monaco, Queen Mathilde of Belgium, Queen Letizia of Spain, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg, Princess Marina of Naples, former Queen Sofia of Spain, and former Queen Paola of Belgium.