Queen Camilla was not allowed to dress in white to meet the Pope during her state visit to Italy last week, despite other royals having the privilege.
The royal, 77, and her husband King Charles met Pope Francis, 88, during an unexpected visit to the capital of the Catholic Church as part of a state visit to Italy.
Camilla was snapped wearing a conservative elegant black tailored dress, which fell to below her knees and covered her shoulders and arms.
However, while many Queens who have met the Pope wore white, Camilla respected protocol by opting for a black dress.
As the Queen isn’t Catholic she doesn’t have the ‘il privilegio del bianco’ (the privilege of the white) which allows female royals to wear white in front of the Pope.
Princess Charlene of Monaco, Queen Letizia of Spain, Queen Mathilde of Belgium and Maria Teresa, The Grand Duchess of Luxembourg are all allowed to wear white in front of the Pope.
‘The privilege of the white’ also extends to Belgium’s Queen Paola and Princess Marina of Naples.
Queen Camilla was snapped wearing a conservative elegant black tailored dress, which fell to below her knees and covered her shoulders and much of her arms on Wednesday
Princess Charlene has been snapped on many occasions opting to wear both black and cream during her visits to see the Pope
Charles and Camilla’s meeting took place at the Vatican’s Casa Santa Marta, where the Pope has been recovering for more than two weeks since being released from Gemelli Hospital.
The special event happened on day three of Charles and Camilla’s four-day State Visit to Italy.
During Charles and Camilla’s visit to see the Pope in 2017, the then Duchess of Cornwall wore a beige dress, rather than black. It is unclear why Camilla decided to differ from her usual dark look.
The protocol says that those with permission to wear white can do so for special events such as private audiences and masses.
However, while most royals chose to wear white, Princess Charlene has been snapped on many occasions opting to wear both black and cream during her visits to see the Pope, alongside her husband Prince Albert of Monaco.
In 2016, the former Olympic swimmer, originally from Zimbabwe, opted to don a cream tailored long-sleeved coat, gloves and a white lace mantilla.
But in 2022, Charlene was then seen wearing a black dress with a dark veil for her private audience with the Pope.
She was dubbed as ‘breaking tradition’ and the rules of the Vatican as the boat-necked gown did not cover her shoulders.
Prince Albert and Princess Charlene are pictured meeting Pope Benedict XVI in 2013
During her most recent visit in 2022, Charlene was seen breaking tradition and the rules by showing her shoulders while visiting Pope Francis
King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium also visited Pope Francis in 2023, and she is one of the few able to wear white
King Felipe VI and Queen Letizia of Spain meet Pope Francis in 2014 and she opted to wear white
The Vatican has a dress code – those visiting cannot wear low-cut or sleeveless dresses, miniskirts, shorts and hats.
On their website, it states: ‘The Vatican is an independent state in which the Roman Catholic Church is based and imposes its dress rules throughout the city.
‘The clothing required is modest and requires for respect of the sacredness of the institutions the coverage of certain areas of the body.
‘Only properly dressed visitors are allowed into the museums.’
During Wednesday’s visit, Charles and the Pope are understood to have wished each other well following their personal health battles in recent months.
Buckingham Palace issued a photograph of the meeting on social media, with a post saying: ‘Che occasione speciale!
‘A special moment for Their Majesties as they privately met His Holiness Pope Francis at the Vatican yesterday.
‘The King and Queen were deeply touched by The Pope’s kind remarks about their 20th wedding anniversary and honoured to be able to share their best wishes to him in person.’
This followed a statement released yesterday evening, in which the Holy See Press Office stated: ‘Pope Francis met privately with Their Majesties, King Charles and Queen Camilla, this afternoon.
‘In the course of the meeting, the Pope expressed his best wishes to Their Majesties on the occasion of their wedding anniversary and reciprocated His Majesty’s wishes for a speedy recovery of his health.’
The Pope’s well wishes were a reference to the King’s condition following his hospitalisation last month due to the side effects of cancer treatment.