SSaturday 6 June 2026, Letizia of Spain and King Felipe VI welcomed Pope Leo XIV at Barajas airport and subsequently to the Royal Palace of Madridon the occasion of his long-awaited official visit to Spain. The event attracted media attention especially for the sovereign’s choice of style. The former journalist showed up for the appointment dressed entirely in white. And it’s not just a quirk.
Letizia of Spain, recycled lace dress for the Pontiff
For the meeting with the Holy Father, Letizia of Spain decided to reuse a dress already present in her wardrobe. This is a midi model in guipure lace with floral motifs Madrid brand The 2nd Skin Co., already shown off during a state trip to Egypt in September 2025. A sober look, completed by low-heeled shoes and matching bag, which due to its clean lines is often proposed on fashion sites as perfect for a civil wedding.
Felipe and Letizia of Spain welcome Pope Leo XIV to the Royal Palace in Madrid. (Photo by Carlos Alvarez/Getty Images)
What is “white privilege” before the Pope
The choice of total white is part of an ancient Vatican law known as “white privilege”. According to the Holy See’s strict protocol, women who meet the pope should wear a black dress and a headscarf as a sign of respect. This exception, however, exempts from the black obligation and is valid only to queens and princess consorts of Catholic orientationlike Charlene of Monaco or Queen Matilda of Belgium.
From the news editorial team to the Vatican protocol: the transformation of Letizia Ortiz
This “right” takes on a particular meaning if we think about the queen’s personal history. Before her marriage to Felipe, Letizia Ortiz was a middle-class, divorced, secularly trained television journalistlight years away from the traditional ties of the nobility with the Church. Seeing her, the former bourgeois reporter, access one of the most exclusive and conservative ceremonies of Catholicism shows the perfect metamorphosis of a modern sovereign, capable of adapting to the rules of the Crown while maintaining a sober and accessible style.
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