Queen Camilla Wore Black While Meeting the Pope — Was This a Fashion Faux Pas?
Queen Camilla also honored her late mother-in-law with her Vatican look.
Published Oct. 24 2025, 5:29 p.m. ET
If there was ever an occasion for someone to agonize over what to wear, it's when meeting the Pope. Surely there is some sort of dress code when it comes to being in the presence of the head of the Catholic Church.
Anyone who has visited the Vatican as a tourist knows that women have to cover their shoulders.
According to the Papal Audience website, the accepted look is casual but modest.
No one of any gender can leave their knees or stomachs exposed. Naturally, the normies don't follow the same rules as someone like a member of the British Royal Family.
In October 2025, during a visit with the Pope, Queen Camilla was spotted wearing all black and looking super goth. Here's why.
Why did Queen Camilla wear all black while meeting the pope?
King Charles and Queen Camilla attended a prayer service at the Sistine Chapel with Pope Leo on Oct. 23, 2025. This was the first time a member of the British monarch prayed with the pope in 500 years.
As noted in The Vatican: Yesterday, Today, Tomorrow, women typically wear black when meeting the pope. This is meant to represent humility.
They also have to wear a black mantilla, which is a liturgical lace, silk veil, or shawl over their heads. Queen Camilla's was pretty intense, in a good way.
Some royals are permitted to wear while during an audience with the pope. This is known as le privilège du blanc, which translates to "the privilege of the white." Only certain Catholic queens and princesses can do this.
Queen Camilla, like her husband and every British monarch since James II of England and VII of Scotland, is an Anglican.
She belongs to the Church of England, which was established when Henry VIII broke from the Catholic church while seeking a divorce from his first wife.
Back in 2017, Melania Trump wore all black to meet Pope Francis, which also sparked debate at the time. Michelle Obama also followed a similar dress code in 2009, when she met with Pope Benedict VXI, alongside her husband, Barack Obama.
"In Catholic symbolism (and human symbolism), black garments signify humility and the desire to remain unnoticed," Catholic philosopher Dr. Taylor Marshall wrote on X. "During a papal audience, traditional protocol dictates that men dress simply, while women should wear long, black dresses that cover the knee, have high collars (no cleavage is allowed in the presence of the pope), and feature long sleeves."
Who has worn white to meet the pope?
In recent history, the first monarch to wear white while meeting with the pope was Queen Victoria Eugenia of Spain in November 1923. She had a private audience with Pius XI. Many of the monarchs who have been given permission to wear white hail from Spain, Belgium, or Luxembourg.
Queen Camilla honored her late mother-in-law by wearing a piece of jewelry previously worn by Queen Elizabeth II, per Vanity Fair. The Georgian-era cross called the "raspberry seed," adorned the demure black dress.
Unlike Queen Elizabeth II, Queen Camilla skipped a tiara and went for a modest mantilla, which featured a crown of matching leaves. Because it happened in October, the whole vibe felt like something out of Macbeth.