Privilège du blanc


Le privilège du blanc is a French term meaning "the privilege of white" used for a Catholic custom whereby certain designated royal women are permitted to wear a white dress and veil during audiences with the Pope. This is an exception to the tradition of women wearing black on such occasions. Those who have been permitted to wear white include the Queens of Belgium, Italy and Spain, the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, the Princess of Monaco, and the princesses of the House of Savoy.

History

In the Roman Catholic tradition, black garments signify both virtues of piety and humility. Protocol for papal audiences formerly required that women wear a long black dress with a high collar and long sleeves, and a black mantilla. Certain designated Catholic queens and princesses have traditionally been exempted from wearing black garments.
The privilege is not used by the wives of all Catholic monarchs or by the wives of non-Catholic monarchs. Even though they are Catholics, it is not accorded to the Queen of Lesotho or the Princess of Liechtenstein, nor to the wife of the Co-Prince of Andorra. The privilege is also not accorded to Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, who is the Catholic wife of the Protestant King Willem-Alexander.

List of eligibility

The following living royal women are currently eligible for the privilege:
Kingdom
Duchy
Principality		Royal personage granted forOn the occasion of:
Queen Sofía of SpainAccession of husband to the Spanish throne in 1975
Queen Paola of the BelgiansAccession of husband to the Belgian throne in 1993
The Grand Duchess of LuxembourgAccession of husband to the Luxembourgish throne in 2000
The Princess of MonacoDispensation from Pope Benedict XVI to the House of Grimaldi in 2013
The Queen of the BelgiansAccession of husband to the Belgian throne in 2013
The Queen of SpainAccession of husband to the Spanish throne in 2014
The Princess of NaplesDispensation from Pope Pius XI to the House of Savoy in 1929

In recent years

, wife of the Head of the House of Savoy, Vittorio Emanuele, Prince of Naples, used the privilege on 18 May 2003 during a mass marking the birth anniversary of Pope John Paul II.
For the first time in Monégasque history on 12 January 2013, Charlene, Princess of Monaco, used the privilege in an audience with Pope Benedict XVI. The Holy See Press Office later issued a press release declaring the following:
Charlene used the privilege again on 18 January 2016 when visiting Pope Francis as part of an official state visit to the Vatican with her husband, Albert II, Prince of Monaco.
Cherie Blair was criticised for wearing white garments when visiting Pope Benedict XVI on 28 April 2006. Blair was speaking at a Vatican conference on children and youth. Pope Benedict, hearing she was at the Vatican, requested she meet with him, only giving her a few minutes' notice and forcing her to rush in her day clothes to accommodate the Pope's request.

List of occasions used

Among the occasions when the privilège du blanc has been used are the following:
Date of visitQueen / PrincessSupreme PontiffOccasion
2018 October 14Queen Sofía of SpainFrancisCanonization of Pope Paul VI
2016 September 4Queen Sofía of SpainFrancisCanonization of Saint Teresa of Calcutta
2016 March 21Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of LuxembourgFrancisPrivate audience
2016 January 18Princess Charlene of MonacoFrancisState visit to the Vatican
2015 March 9Queen Mathilde of BelgiumFrancisPrivate audience
2014 June 30Queen Letizia of SpainFrancisState visit to the Vatican
2014 April 27Queen Sofía of Spain
Queen Paola of Belgium
Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg		FrancisCanonization of Pope John XXIII and Pope John Paul II
2013 March 19Queen Paola of Belgium
Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg		FrancisInaugural mass of Pope Francis
2013 January 12Princess Charlene of MonacoBenedict XVIPrivate audience
2011 May 1Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg
Queen Paola of Belgium		Benedict XVIBeatification of Pope John Paul II
2009 October 10Queen Paola of BelgiumBenedict XVIPrivate audience
2006 May 8Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of LuxembourgBenedict XVIPrivate audience
2005 April 24Queen Sofía of Spain
Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg		Benedict XVIInaugural mass of Pope Benedict XVI
2004 October 3Queen Fabiola of BelgiumJohn Paul IIBeatification of Charles I of Austria
2003 May 18Princess of Naples, Marina of SavoyJohn Paul IIBirthday of Pope John Paul II
2003 March 23Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg
Princess Alexandra of Luxembourg		John Paul IIPrivate audience
1998 May 15Queen Paola of BelgiumJohn Paul IIPrivate audience
1981 April 30Queen Sofía of SpainJohn Paul IIPrivate audience
1978 October 22Grand Duchess Josephine Charlotte of Luxembourg
Queen Sofía of Spain		John Paul IIInaugural mass of Pope John Paul II
1978 September 3Queen Fabiola of Belgium
Queen Sofía of Spain
Grand Duchess Josephine Charlotte of Luxembourg		John Paul IInaugural mass of Pope John Paul I
1977 February 10Queen Sofía of SpainPaul VIPrivate audience
1965 May 6Grand Duchess Josephine Charlotte of LuxembourgPaul VIPrivate audience
1961 June 9Queen Fabiola of BelgiumJohn XXIIIPrivate audience
1939 December 28Queen Elena of Italy
Princess Marie José of Piedmont		Pius XIIPapal visit to the Quirinal Palace
1939 January 23Princess Maria of SavoyPius XIPrivate audience after wedding
1930 January 8Princess Marie José of PiedmontPius XIPrivate audience after wedding
1929 December 28Princess Maria Adelaide of SavoyPius XIPrivate audience
1929 December 7Princess Giovanna of Savoy
Princess Maria of Savoy		Pius XIPrivate audience
1929 December 5Queen Elena of Italy
Princess Helene, Duchess of Aosta
Queen of Belgium, Elizabeth of Bavaria
Princess Maria Cristina of Bourbon-Two Sicilies		Pius XIPrivate audience after signing of the Lateran Treaty
1923 November 19Queen Victoria Eugenia of SpainPius XIPrivate audience