Grand Duchess Stephanie of Luxembourg exercised a right granted to only a handful of royal women.
The royal and her husband, Grand Duke Guillaume, visited Vatican City on Friday, Jan. 23, where they met with Pope Leo XIV.
Grand Duchess Stephanie wore a white gown with a white lace covering, a meaningful symbol for someone visiting His Holiness. Only a handful of royal women are given special permission to wear white when meeting the pope, in a tradition known as “il privilegio del bianco,” or “the privilege of the white.” All others traditionally wear black.
Per tradition, the honor is exclusively extended to Catholic queens and princesses. As this was Stephanie’s first visit to the Vatican since her husband assumed the title of Grand Duke, it was her first opportunity to exercise “il privilegio del bianco.”
Pope Leo XIV meets with Grand Duke Guillaume of Luxembourg and Grand Duchess Stephanie of Luxembourg at the Vatican on Jan. 23. 2026.
Simone Risoluti – Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty
Other European dignitaries who are permitted to wear white with the pope include Gulliaume’s mother, the former Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg, as well as Princess Charlene of Monaco, Queen Mathilde of Belgium, Queen Letizia of Spain, the former Queen Sofia of Spain and the former Queen Paola of Belgium.
At Pope Leo’s inauguration mass in May 2025, four of those royal women attended in white: the then-Grand Duchess Maria Teresa, Princess Charlene, Queen Letizia and Queen Mathilde.
Just a few months later, in October 2025, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg officially stepped down, making way for Guillaume, his eldest son, to become the new Grand Duke, installing Princess Stephanie as the new Grand Duchess.
The couple was joined in their audience with the pope by their children: Prince Charles, 5, and Prince François, 2, who matched their mom in white ensembles.
Pope Leo XIV poses with Grand Duke Guillaume and Grand Duchess Stephanie of Luxembourg and their sons during an audience at the Apostolic Palace in Vatican City on Jan. 23, 2026.
Simone Risoluti – Vatican Media via Vatican Pool/Getty
Notably, the women of the British royal family are not among those permitted to wear white while meeting with the Pope.
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King Charles, as the monarch of Great Britain, is the head of the Church of England, due to the 1534 schism from the Catholic Church by King Henry VIII. When the King and Queen Camilla visited the Vatican in October 2025, she followed protocol in a black dress and veil.
During their visit, however, the King and Queen made a notable stride in the interfaith relationship between the British crown and the Catholic church. They attended a prayer service at the Sistine Chapel with Pope Leo, marking the first time a British monarch and pope had prayed together in public in about 500 years.