King Philippe and Queen Mathilde were welcomed by Pope Francis for a private audience today at the Vatican. This visit showed that Queen Mathilde has been granted the Privilège du Blanc – special permission given to specifically designated Catholic queens, duchesses and princesses to wear white during an audience with the Pope. Queen Mathilde wore an exquisite white veil of floral patterned Belgian lace over a simple white dress and coat. The clean lines of the dress and coat allowed the veil to stand out and I thought Queen Mathilde looked stunningly elegant.
Photos from Getty as indicated
Royal Hats 
Beautiful look
Lovely to see a proper appearance (with veil) for meeting the Holy Father, and looking that good on crutches is worth a special bravo! Privilege du blanc is for consorts of rulers, so Queens, and Grand Duchess and several Princesses.
Queen Mathilde looked beautiful and that lace veil was superb! I do hope she makes a speedy recovery from her injuries.
I love Queen Fabiola’s look in the one picture!!!!!
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I think you mean Queen Mathilde? Queen Fabiola passed away late last year.
Slightly off topic (apologies HQ) but could someone briefly enlighten me as to why Mathilde is using crutches? Thanks.
It was reported earlier this week that she injured her knee on a recent ski trip.
Lovely
I read a mistake. only Catholic Queens have the privé like to wear white. Princesses wear black. The only exception is grand duchess Maria Teresa
Princess Charlene of Monaco has been granted the Privilège du Blanc along with Princess Marina of Naples who wore white for Pope John Paul II’s birthday mass on May 18, 2003.
While the privilege is usually reserved for female heads/consorts of royal houses, Queen Fabiola of Belgium retained it from 1993 until her death.
She looks exquisite, and it brightened my Monday to see these lovely pictures.
Love seeing the first time privilege du blanc appearances! And, Josephine, “exquisite” was exactly the word that came to my mind. So glad she wore such a lovely lace veil- as Queen of the Belgians how could she not?
It is all exquisite.
Beautiful.
She looks lovely
Absolutely regal. What a gorgeous Queen she is! I am so glad she is permitted to wear the white.