Queen Camilla’s solemn visit to the Vatican took a dramatic turn as her striking look seized the spotlight and ignited fierce debate.
King Charles III and Queen Camilla attended a historic service with Pope Leo XIV at the Sistine Chapel on October 23, 2025. While the occasion carried immense significance, much of the online chatter centered on Camilla’s outfit, particularly the headpiece she chose to wear.
Pope Leo XIV, King Charles III, and Queen Camilla attend a Prayer Service at the Sistine Chapel at the Apostolic Palace on October 23, 2025 in Vatican City | Source: Getty Images
Queen Camilla Dresses by the Book
Charles made history after becoming the first reigning British monarch to pray publicly with a pope since Henry VIII’s split from Rome in 1534. This event has been widely viewed as a symbolic step toward reconciliation between the Catholic and Anglican churches.
For the occasion, the monarch wore a blue suit paired with a white shirt, black tie, and a blue-and-white striped pocket square, creating a polished yet understated look.
Protocol for papal audiences traditionally requires women to wear a modest black dress with sleeves, along with a black mantilla — a lace or silk veil or shawl worn over the head.
Camilla followed tradition by wearing a black dress by Fiona Clare as she arrived in the State Bentley at the San Damaso courtyard for her and Charles’ historic meeting with Pope Leo.
The 78-year-old complemented it with a black mantilla designed by Philip Treacy. Her outfit drew clear inspiration from the late monarch’s ensembles during her audiences with the pope.
Why Queen Camilla Was Dressed in Mourning Black
While other queens are sometimes seen in white when meeting the pontiff, Camilla is not among those permitted to do so. The color choice is steeped in a long-standing Vatican tradition known as il privilegio del bianco (“the privilege of the white”).
Camilla followed tradition by wearing a black dress by Fiona Clare as she arrived in the State Bentley at the San Damaso courtyard for her and Charles’ historic meeting with Pope Leo.
The 78-year-old complemented it with a black mantilla designed by Philip Treacy. Her outfit drew clear inspiration from the late monarch’s ensembles during her audiences with the pope.
Why Queen Camilla Was Dressed in Mourning Black
While other queens are sometimes seen in white when meeting the pontiff, Camilla is not among those permitted to do so. The color choice is steeped in a long-standing Vatican tradition known as il privilegio del bianco (“the privilege of the white”).
This little-known rule states that only queens and princesses from Catholic countries are permitted to wear white during papal audiences.
This exclusive group includes Princess Charlene of Monaco, Queen Mathilde of Belgium, Queen Letizia of Spain, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg, Princess Marina of Naples, former Queen Sofia of Spain, and former Queen Paola of Belgium.
Since Queen Camilla is not among those granted this privilege, she adhered to protocol by wearing all black — from her dress and stockings to her shoes and the dramatic headpiece that looked like a veil.
A Priceless Tribute to the Late Queen
Camilla accessorized with a “raspberry pip” brooch shaped like a Georgian cross and set with transparent topaz and diamonds.
The brooch carried special meaning as it once belonged to the late Queen Elizabeth II and is estimated to be worth around $53,000. According to Maxwell Stone of U.K. jeweler Steven Stone, it is “a deeply sentimental piece from the royal vault” and “is believed to have been one of the late monarch’s favorites.”
Although the late queen never wore it publicly, Camilla often dons the piece as a heartfelt tribute to her mother-in-law’s life of service. She first wore it for Christmas 2023 and also donned it during her first church service at Sandringham earlier this January.
Others painted a more vivid picture, with a user saying, “Camilla looks like she has a vulture on her head... 🫠,” while someone else mused, “Is she trying to make a veil look like a crown of thorns? A simple veil would have left the attention on the moment and not the atrocity on her head. Bless her heart!”
More people felt the look was inappropriate for the occasion, as one noted, “The Queen’s headpiece is not eligible for the official visit to the Vatican 🙄.” Another simply questioned her outfit choice, “Why is Camilla wearing black?”
A Visit Centuries in the Making
According to the Vatican, Camilla and King Charles’ visit marked a historic moment in Anglican-Catholic relations, one that had not occurred in 500 years. It carried two key themes: that of Christian unity and care for the environment.
Charles and Camilla joined Pope Leo at a service that took place in the Sistine Chapel beneath Michelangelo’s famous ceiling frescoes, blending Catholic and Anglican traditions.
It began with the Lord’s Prayer in English, followed by hymns performed by the Sistine Chapel Choir. They were joined by members of two royal choirs — the St George’s Chapel Choir from Windsor Castle and the children’s choir of the Chapel Royal of St James’s Palace.
But in the end, it wasn’t the hymns or the prayers that stirred the public — it was an eye-catching veil, a controversial headpiece, and a flurry of online uproar that proved once again: the royals will always be measured in the court of public opinion.
