King Charles and Queen Camilla met Pope Leo XIV on Thursday as they visited the Vatican as part of their state visit.
The king, 76, and queen, 78, arrived in Italy on Wednesday evening. Their Majesties have joined Pope Leo, 70, to celebrate the 2025 Jubilee Year. It’s traditionally marked every 25 years, and the Papal Jubilee is a special time for the Catholic Church.
The historic visit also focus on King Charles and the Pope’s “commitment to the protection of Nature and concern for the environment”.
Images released on Thursday showed the royal couple meeting with Pope Leo for the first time since his election in May 2025.
Why did Queen Camilla wear black during meeting with Pope Leo XIV?
Their Majesties met with the Pope in the Apostolic Palace as they began their state visit. Many royal fans were stunned by Queen Camilla’s appearance.
The queen was dressed head to toe in black, including a sheer black veil. Meanwhile, King Charles wore a navy suit.
But there is a reason behind Queen Camilla’s look. It was to adhere to a dress code.
Traditionally, during an audience with the Pope, protocol requires women to wear a black modest dress with sleeves as well as a black mantilla (a lace or silk veil or shawl) or scarf for the head.
However, there is an exception to this protocol called the “il privilegio del bianco” – the privilege of the white. This protocol allows certain designated female royals, who are all queen and princesses of Catholic countries, to wear white clothing during an audience with the Pope.
Wow! The queen’s looks fabulous in black. Her headpiece is gorgeous!
Queen Letizia of Spain is one of the royal women who is granted this privilege.
However, Camilla doesn’t have this privilege as she isn’t Catholic and is the wife of King Charles, who is the Supreme Governor of the Church of England.
Camilla’s look was reminiscent of Queen Elizabeth II’s all black outfit for her historic visit to the Vatican in 1961.
Royal fans gush over Camilla’s look
Many fans appeared in awe over Queen Camilla’s look. After meeting with the Pope, the king and queen attended a “special ecumenical service” in the Sistine Chapel.
The service focused on the theme of “Care for Creation”. This reflected on Pope Leo and His Majesty’s “commitment to the protection of Nature and concern for the environment,” the palace said.
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After seeing Their Majesties at the service, one fan gushed on Instagram: “Wow! The queen looks fabulous in black. Her headpiece is gorgeous!”
Another wrote: “Queen Camilla looks so beautiful.”
History was also marked on this trip. For the first time in 500 years, the Pope and the king prayed together in a “unique ecumenical service” at the Sistine Chapel.
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