The reason only a few women were allowed to wear white instead of black clothing at Pope Leo XIV’s inauguration has been revealed.
The 69-year-old’s inauguration took place on Sunday (May 18) in Vatican City, drawing an enormous crowd of around 250,000 people.
World leaders, members of Congress, and European royalty gathered in St. Peter’s Square to witness the beginning of the first American pontiff’s papacy.
Among the high-profile attendees were US Vice President JD Vance, Secretary of State Marco Rubio, House Majority Leader Steve Scalise, and Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy, who was joined by his wife, Olena Zelenska, and top advisers.
The day also saw Vance and Zelenskyy share a handshake, months after a tense exchange at the White House.
But amid the vast crowd and international spectacle, it was Queen Letizia of Spain who captured attention in a stunning white ensemble, standing in sharp contrast to the Vatican’s strict tradition of black attire in the Pope’s presence.
The Queen wore white under the rarely granted privilège du blanc, a Vatican custom that allows only seven Catholic royal women to wear white garments during papal audiences or ceremonies.
The custom, which translates to “privilege of white”, bypasses the usual rules that require women to wear black dresses that cover their knees and shoulders, with necklines high enough to conceal cleavage.
According to Dr. Taylor Marshall on X (formerly Twitter), black garments represent “humility and the desire to remain unnoticed”.
Letizia’s appearance continued her history of invoking the privilege, which she also exercised during a private visit with Pope francis in 2014.
At yesterday’s ceremony, she wore a long-sleeved tea-length dress with an asymmetrical draped neckline by Redondo Brand, nude Magrit heels, Ansorena1845 pearl drop earrings, a small white purse, and a lace veil, The New York Post reported.
The only other women permitted to wear white under this tradition were Queen Sofía of Spain, Queen Paola of Belgium, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg, and Princess Marina of Naples.
“It’s a reminder that the Catholic Church holds high standards for the attire of the laity and recognizes Catholic monarchs as integral to Christendom,” Marshall said. “Le Privilège du Blanc isn’t just about white dresses; it’s about history, influence, and remains an essential reminder of the history (and future) of Christendom.”
The inauguration began with Pope leo XIV arriving around 8:15AM local time, waving to cheering crowds from an open-top popemobile.
Like Pope Francis before him, Leo chose visibility over protection, declining a bulletproof model despite historic security risks. The vehicle stopped occasionally so he could bless babies from the crowd.
As bells tolled and chants of “Viva il Papa” echoed across the square, the pontiff made his way to the basilica to receive the Fisherman’s Ring, honoring Saint Peter, and the pallium, a white lambswool vestment symbolizing his pastoral mission.
These two items mark his role as the spiritual shepherd of the Catholic Church.
Inside the Sistine Chapel, he delivered his first mass as pope, telling the crowd: “I would like our first great desire to be for a united church, a sign of unity and communion, which becomes a leaven for a reconciled world,” per The Independent.
“We are called to offer God’s love to everyone in order to achieve that unity which does not cancel our differences but values the personal history of each person and the social and religious culture of every people.”
He continued: “Brothers and sisters, this is the hour for love. The heart of the gospel is the love of God that makes us brothers and sisters. With my predecessor Leo XIII, we can ask ourselves today, if this criterion were to prevail in the world, would not every conflict cease and peace return?”
The speech signaled Pope Leo’s intention to lead not with authority but with compassion. “Shield the flock without ever yielding to the temptation to be an autocrat, lording it over those entrusted to him,” he added.
The inauguration marked a deeply symbolic beginning to his papacy. “Let us build a church founded on God’s love, a sign of unity for a missionary church that opens its arms to the world,” he concluded.
