Queen Mathilde of Belgium

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The King Baudouin Stadium in Brussels on Sept. 4, 2020.

Pope Francis sells out Belgium stadium for Sept. 29 beatification Mass in just 90 minutes

Aug 22, 2024

By Hannah Brockhaus

After becoming available for free online, 32,000 tickets for the Sept. 29 Mass were snatched up in just 90 minutes,... Read more

Queen Mathilde of Belgium is one of only a few women in the world who can wear white, rather than the customary black, when meeting the pope for an official private audience at the Vatican. She arrived at the Vatican’s Apostolic Palace with her husband, King Philippe of the Belgians, on Sept. 14, 2023, wearing a white mantilla veil and a white dress.

Why the Queen of Belgium can wear white when meeting the pope

Sep 14, 2023

By Courtney Mares

She has the “privilège du blanc,” a papal privilege currently granted only to Catholic royalty from Spain, Luxembourg, Belgium, Monaco,... Read more