Tuesday 28 April 2009

FYI


Prince Charles and the Duchess of Cornwall with Pope Benedict XVI


Prince Charles and Princess Diana with Pope John Paul II


The Duchess of Cornwall is not, as one tabloid suggested, emulating the late Diana, Princess of Wales. It is protocol for women to wear black and to cover their heads when meeting the Pope. The only exception being the privilège du blanc. A privilege afforded to female Catholic Monarchs, and to female Catholic Consorts of Monarchs, wherein they are allowed to wear white when in an audience with the Pope.

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13 comments:

An Aesthete's Lament said...

Tabloids are such idiots. Or, at least, their writers often are. Surely the fool and his/her editors should have checked, re protocol.

HOBAC said...

AL - Anything in the name of cheap sentiment.

Pigtown-Design said...

Did you see the photograph on the Guardian on-line where it looked like Camilla was about to leap up from the table where she was sitting with the Pope? It was very funny.

HOBAC said...

PD - do you mean the one where HH said mistakenly to Camilla," Diana, time has not been kind" ?

Pigtown-Design said...

Almost spit my tea on the computer screen with that one, m'dear!

Here's the one.

HOBAC said...

Yup, that's the one.

columnist said...

I only wish Camilla had worn a tiara like the Queen in her first two visits:

http://members3.boardhost.com/Oranjes/msg/1240640703.html

although she dispensed with one on her third visit. Perhaps accusations of "being too grand" were taken into consideration. But it seems the dress code has gone down a notch for the gentleman too.

HOBAC said...

C - Thanks for the link. Fab.
How on earth can the Queen be accused of being too grand? And who could possibly be in a position to make such an accusation?

columnist said...

I meant accusations of Camilla being accused of being too grand; she does tend to wear huge pieces, albeit of those lent to her by the Queen:

http://www.dailymail.co.uk/femail/article-496260/Rebranded-How-dazzling-Camilla-dumped-dowdy-image.html

No, I don't think our dear Queen could ever be considered "too grand"; indeed her endearing trait is that she is the opposite. The status and function accorded her takes care of that. Camilla is equally undemanding in that respect.

HOBAC said...

C - got it.

HOBAC said...

C-perhaps when Camilla is Consort, it will be more suitable then. For time to time I do feel sorry for her unenviable position.

columnist said...

Yes, she does seem to get an unnecessary backlash from the Diana-for-canonisation contingent.

Easy and Elegant Life said...

A fool and his editor are often parted.

Leave it to you HOBAC to enlighten. Keep fighting the good fight.