Why Queen Camilla wore white after meeting Pope as colour choice raises eyebrows

Queen Camilla's outfit has once again raised eyebrows as royal fans are wondering why she wore white during an outing in the Vatican yesterday.

For those not up to speed, King Charles III and Camilla were in Rome for a two-day-long state visit to spend time with Pope Leo XIV.

The British monarch, 76, and Pope, 70, prayed together in the Sistine Chapel yesterday (23 October), marking the first time a UK monarch and the pontiff have prayed together in around 500 years.

However, the internet was somewhat distracted by Camilla's unusual choice of outfit - an all-black look, complete with a veil draped over her head and shoulders and a 'crown of thorns' headdress design.

But despite confusion, she was actually dressed in exactly the right wear, wearing a veil called a mantilla that women have traditionally worn during Catholic services, and it remains as protocol for female dignitaries when meeting the Pope.

And the all-black essentially comes down to an old dress code, referred to as ‘il privilegio del blanco’, or ‘the privilege of the white’.

Royal fans have questions about Queen Camilla's latest outfit (Chris Jackson/Getty Images)

Queen Camilla has been criticised for wearing white (PA)

Only queens and princesses who are from Catholic countries can wear white when they meet the Pope, so because Britain is a protestant country, Camilla had to wear black.

The exception currently applies to the likes of the queens of Spain and Belgium, the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg and the Princess of Monaco.

With all this taken into account, people were left confused by Camilla's latest outfit after meeting the Pope as she and the King visited the Papal Basilica and Abbey of St. Paul’s Outside the Walls.

As per The Royal Family Instagram account, the couple attended an ecumenical service, to mark His Majesty becoming ‘Royal Confrater’ of the Abbey of St. Paul.

Camilla was sporting a white long-sleeved dress for the occasion, which has caused some questions.

One Twitter user penned: "I thought that was a privilege reserved for Catholic queens?"

While a second brutally added: "Queen Camilla has taken the audacious step of wearing white in the Papal Basilica of Saint Paul Outside-the-Walls."

Yesterday, she obeyed tradition and wore all-black to meet Pope Leo (Samir Hussein/Getty Images)

"She should have worn other colours no white!" demanded a third.

However, someone else rightly pointed out: "She’s outside the walls & can wear anything she wants. There’s nothing ‘audacious’ about it. Non-Catholic queens only wear black in the presence of the Pope."

While another royal fan confirmed: "She’s allowed to wear any colour she wants. Only when meeting the pope she must wear black."

And someone else penned: "It’s an informal meeting. She doesn’t have to wear black for that. Only the formal meeting."

Essentially, non-Catholic women are allowed to wear white when they're not in the presence of the Pope - it's only when they meet him that they must wear black.