On his apostolic visit to Belgium this week, Pope Francis encounters two women with a special privilege of faith. They, along with only five others in the world right now, may wear white in the presence of the Holy Father.
The Holy See does not impose a compulsory dress code (especially not for meetings outside the Vatican), but does suggest a protocol for state visits and hearings with the pope, both for men and women.
In the case of the latter, the protocol requires a long black dress with a high neckline, long sleeves, and a black veil. For historical reasons, however, some Catholic queens or consorts of kings have traditionally been exempted from wearing black. This is the so-called "privilège du blanc" (privilege of white), a special prerogative granted under the pope's criteria.
Initially, this privilege was granted to the Catholic spouses of all Catholic royalty, but today just seven women may wear white in the pope's presence.
Among them are two queens of Belgium -- the reigning Queen Mathilde, and the former Queen Paola. The others are Queen Consort Leticia of Spain, Queen Emeritus Sofia of Spain, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg, Princess Charlene of Monaco, and Princess Marina of Naples, as a member of the House of Savoy.
In recent years, several heads of government or state were received by a pope without being dressed in black. This was the case, for example, of former Irish Presidents Mary Robinson and Mary McAleese, as well as Raissa Gorbachev of the former Soviet Union. In all these cases, the visitors met with Pope John Paul II.
And even queens and princesses who have the "privilege of white" have sometimes preferred not to use this prerogative, choosing to dress in black out of reverence for the Holy Father.