When Camilla, then the Duchess of Cornwall, met Pope Benedict XVI in 2009, she adhered to the Vatican’s traditional dress code, donning a black dress and lace mantilla. This attire marked her position as a Protestant royal meeting the head of the Catholic Church. However, by her encounter with Pope Francis in 2017, the Vatican had relaxed its dress code. Camilla chose a pale gold coatdress, forgoing a veil, and her choice was met with no criticism. In 2025, during her final meeting with Pope Francis as Queen Consort, she returned to a black ensemble, honoring the expectations for royals of non-Catholic faiths. The shift in dress codes over the years underscores the evolving symbolism of color and its political implications. At Pope Francis’ funeral in April 2025, royals like Queen Letizia and Princess Charlene wore traditional black veils and dresses in line with Catholic mourning customs. Meanwhile, select Catholic royals were seen in white, a rare privilege granted for specific papal ceremonies, highlighting the intricate dance between faith, diplomacy, and royal tradition.
