When Camilla, then Duchess of Cornwall, met Pope Benedict XVI in 2009, she followed Vatican dress codes, wearing a black dress with long sleeves and a lace mantilla. By 2017, when she met Pope Francis, she wore a pale gold coatdress without a veil, reflecting the Vatican’s relaxed stance on such matters. However, for her final meeting with Pope Francis in 2025 as Queen Consort, Camilla returned to black attire to respect the traditions for non-Catholic royals.
At Pope Francis’ funeral in 2025, royals like Queen Letizia, Princess Charlene, and Queen Rania wore black veils and dresses, adhering to Catholic mourning attire. Only a few Catholic royals, like Queen Mathilde and Grand Duchess María Teresa, are allowed to wear white at certain papal events, but not at funerals. These dress codes reflect the intersection of faith, diplomacy, and royal tradition, symbolizing reverence, identity, and rank within the Vatican’s longstanding customs
