Royals Visiting The Pope

[EmpressRouge]

One my friends is a devout Catholic (really cool and smart too), he didn't know the rule of "privilege du blanc." Of course he looked at me and said, "Only you would know something like that." I guess the royals meeting the Pope dress code is probably more well known/noticed amongst royalty fans and royal watchers when we see pictures than, say, a Catholic who doesn't follow royalty and couldn't care less about what kings and queens wear.

 

[zarzuela]

The dress protocal is as follow:

The Catholic Queens of Belgium and Spain, the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, the Princesses of Savoia, and the Archduchesses of Habsburg have the priveledge du blanc, which means they are allowed to wear white to the Vatican.

Queen Sofia at the inaugural mass of Pope Benedict.

 

[zarzuela]

Along the same line with this thread...can anyone suggest excellent etiquette websites (particularly ones that address royal protocol)?

Thank you. :flower:

You may want to try this one, but unless you can understand Spanish language... http://www.protocolo.org

 

[delineate]

If non-Catholic queens are supposed to wear black when meeting the Pope, then how did Queen Margrethe get away with wearing a gray-colored dress? Or, do the black/white rules only apply when you are going to visit the Pope in his country, as opposed to him coming to your country?

 

[A.C.C.]

I believe that only Catholic Queens wear white. In Europe that is the Queens of Spain and Belgium, The Grand Duchess of Luxembourg and the Soveriegn Princesses of Liechtenstein and Monaco. (The last three being the equivalent of a Queen in thier respective countries.) In Africa the Queen of Lesotho and in Polynesia the Queens of Uvea, Sigave and Alo.

Actually, when Princess Grace of Monaco visited the Vatican, she always wore black, and i believe thats for the Liechtenstein princesses as well.

 

[sara1981]

if im become Crown Princess and become Queen of England i would wores white nor black dresses because im baptist but my step-father and my step-family is catholic

Sara Boyce

 

[zarzuela]

Actually, when Princess Grace of Monaco visited the Vatican, she always wore black, and i believe thats for the Liechtenstein princesses as well.

That's because, as stated by A.C.C. "The princesses of Monaco are not given le privelege du blanc", that's why even though they are Catholics they are not allowed to wear white when visiting the Pope.

 

[mtbcm]

The first time Pope João Paulo visited Spain was in October 1982.
Here the Kings welcome him in the airport


At Zarzuela Palace on November the 2nd 1982

(in this day Queen Sofia celebrated her 44th birthday)

22 years separate this two pics



Two tender pictures of Kings of Spain with Pope João Paulo II



(pics from Hola magazine)
​

 

[mtbcm]

British Royal Family

Prince Charles and Princess Diana



Queen Elizabeth II



(pics from Hola magazine)

 

[mtbcm]

Prince Rainier of Monaco



(pics from Hola magazine)

 

[mtbcm]

At the Coronation Mass of Pope João Paulo II



Prince Rainier and Princess Grace of Monaco



(pics from Hola magazine)​

 

[BeatrixFan]

Re:

Are there any more pictures of the different Royals meeting Pope Benedict?

I'd like to see some of Queen Beatrix and Queen Margrethe with him if there are any.

 

[susan alicia]

I will never understand how the vatican could place mugabe so near prince charles at the funeral of the pope and as a consequence he was obligated to shake hands with him (wished he had looked right through him instead) Mugabe is not even allowed to travel in europe, if they could not avoid inviting him they could have put him in a chair way back in a corner.

 

[Lady Marmalade]

I agree. I was appalled to see Mugabe there at the funeral. I do not think he should have been allowed to attend.

It is amazing to see the Queen of Spain curtsey to the Holy Father, as she did in an earlier picture.

I am a Catholic as well so this forum is very interesting and informative to read through and see the pictures.

 

[BeatrixFan]

Re:

There's something rather lovely about the relationship between King Juan Carlos and Queen Sofia with the Pope, John Paul II and Benedict XVI in fact. It always made me feel quite shivery when Sofia kissed the Pope's hand. I haven't seen her do that with Benedict yet but she did with John Paul.

 

[Lady Marmalade]

I know the Dutch Royals caught some heat for not sending any representatives to the funeral. They were the only royal family in Europe to do this.

Although, I am not sure now as maybe Monaco, given Prince Ranier's death right after may have as well.

I believe Crown Prince Wilhelm attended the innaugural mass of Pope Benedict.

BTW, the Italian Royals also have the privilege of wearing white when granted an audience with the pope.

Marina Doria has done this.

 

[Oppie]

About the dress code. It seems that it only applies when in the Vatican City on an official (state) visit. The pictures where they are wearing other colours are either at the Summer Residence (Queen Rania) or another country (Denmark)

As far as I know Liechtenstein and Monaco do not wear white, neither to Catholic female head of states.

 

[mtbcm]

Prince Albert of Monaco was in Vatican for an audience with Pope Benedictus - December 2005

(source: Hola magazine)​

 

[crisiñaki]

Does anyone knows if the SRF go to church every sunday as we catholics are meant to do?
BTW: Princess Astrid of Belgium is an Archiduchess of Austria, does that mean that she's allowed to wear white as well?

 

[Little_star]

"Queen Rania on visiting the Vatican wore a silvery gray dress and mantilla. She probably did not wear black because she is not a Christian."

I thought it was because the first time she visited the Pope they didn't go to the Vatican but to his summer residence? Therefore she was not required to wear black? At least that what I remember reading on the forum somewhere, is that incorrect though?
As the 2nd time she visited the Pope t was at the Vatican and she wore black.

 

[mtbcm]

Does anyone knows if the SRF go to church every sunday as we catholics are meant to do?
BTW: Princess Astrid of Belgium is an Archiduchess of Austria, does that mean that she's allowed to wear white as well?

I think that at least the King and the Queen go to church every sunday.
I once heard an interesting story of them, during a travel in America, requesting for a Sunday Mass.

There is a small anedocte protagonised by King Juan Carlos - the protocol experts warned the Priest that he should bow his head when he was presented to the King. But when he approached the priest the King took his hand, bowed, and kissed his ring.

During that mass several people gave testimony of the great devotion and faith the Kings showed throughout the cerimony.

Regards,
mtbcm

 

[Little_star]

A picture of Rania and Abdullah's first visit at the Pope's Summer Residence, Castel Gandolfo in September 1999:

http://www.geocities.com/jordanroyals/misc/pope/castelgandolfo2.jpg

The second visit, which was also Castel Gandolfo. Apologies for the previous mistake, I had thought it was the Vatican,
http://www.catholicpressphoto.com/servizi/11-09-2005-re-giordania/default.htm

 

[Saturn]

I must say that when Queen Rania visited the Pope he was in his holiday residence and the visit was only semi-official, so the Queen was allowed to wear a grey dress.

 

[lizz70]

"Queen Rania on visiting the Vatican wore a silvery gray dress and mantilla. She probably did not wear black because she is not a Christian."

I thought it was because the first time she visited the Pope they didn't go to the Vatican but to his summer residence? Therefore she was not required to wear black? At least that what I remember reading on the forum somewhere, is that incorrect though?
As the 2nd time she visited the Pope t was at the Vatican and she wore black.

Yes, because she got it wrong first time round.

 

[BeatrixFan]

Thats right - she wore grey the first time because it wasn't an official visit and not at the Vatican. The second time she wore black because it was official and they were at the Vatican. I think she should have worn black the first time as well but there we are.

 

[Humera]

I thought it was because the first time she visited the Pope they didn't go to the Vatican but to his summer residence? Therefore she was not required to wear black? At least that what I remember reading on the forum somewhere, is that incorrect though?

Yeah that's right. I looked it up on a website and even posted a link to it in one of the KA and QR threads a while back.
Like Saturn said, Rania wasn't required to wear black during that visit.
The second time she chose to wear black eventhough she was still visiting the Pope at his summer residence and not the Vatican.

 

[lizz70]

Thats right - she wore grey the first time because it wasn't an official visit and not at the Vatican. The second time she wore black because it was official and they were at the Vatican. I think she should have worn black the first time as well but there we are.

I think you are right on this one BeatrixFan

 

[lizz70]

I think you are right on this one BeatrixFan

It looked white on many pictures and black or any darker colour would have been better.

 

[Little_star]

Yes, because she got it wrong first time round.

She didn't get it wrong as has been previously explained. She wasn't required to wear black on her first visit.

 

[RoyalProtocol]

Queen Margrethe II

Does anyone have any pictures of Queen Margrethe II visiting the Pope (not the Pope in Denmark), did she ever go to the Vatican, apart from the Papal Funeral 2005, and did she wear a mantilla.