<P> Le privilège du blanc (Italian: Il privilegio del bianco) is a French term meaning "the privilege of the white" used for a Catholic custom whereby certain designated women are permitted to wear a white dress and veil during audiences with the Pope . This is an exception to the tradition of women wearing black on such occasions . Those who have been permitted to wear white include the Queens of Belgium, Italy and Spain, the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, the Princess of Monaco, and the princesses of the House of Savoy . </P> <P> The Prefecture of the Pontifical Household sometimes issues instructions in advance when the privilege may be used, such as during papal audiences, papal coronations, significant liturgical events or inaugural masses of the Pope within the Vatican . </P> <P> A reigning Catholic queen or princess retains this privilege at the discretion of the Pope, by remaining a Catholic in good public standing, through marriage to another Catholic monarch, or simply by grant of the Pope at his dispensation . Catholic royalty may freely choose whether to exercise the privilege depending on the importance of occasion; if they don't, this is termed as "declining the privilege", and the fact of choosing to wear black garments at certain points of Papal audiences does not negate her privilege to be dressed in white . </P> <P> In the Roman Catholic tradition, black garments signify both virtues of piety and humility . Protocol for papal audiences formerly required that women wear a long black dress with a high collar and long sleeves, and a black mantilla . </P>

Who is allowed to wear white when visiting the pope