Privilège du blanc

Queen Sofia of Spain, exercising the white privilege in a meeting with Pope John Paul II.

The White Privilege, or Privilege du blanc, is a privilege held by female Catholic Monarchs, also by female Catholic Consorts of Monarchs, wherein they are allowed to wear white when in an audience with the Pope.

Formal Vatical protocol for papal audiences used to require long-sleeved, formal black garments and a black mantilla for women. However, since the 1980s, papal dress codes (men wearing white tie, women wearing black and covering their heads) have been optional, not obligatory, with many diplomatic guests and heads of state opting to wear lounge suits rather than formal wear when attending the inauguration of Pope Benedict XVI in 2005. Many women leaders no longer wear the traditional outfits when meeting popes; neither of Ireland's two women presidents — Mary Robinson nor Mary McAleese — wore the traditional outfits when meeting Pope John Paul II. Robinson wore dark green while McAleese wore black and white. Then Soviet Union First Lady Raisa Gorbachev wore red.

Currently, should they choose to wear the traditional style of clothing, the White Privilege is held only by the Queens of Spain, Belgium and the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg, all of whose monarchies were awarded the Catholic Monarch designation in the past.