QuoteTheir Majesties King Willem-Alexander and Queen Máxima of the Netherlands will visit Italy and the Vatican City on official state visits. The visits will take place from 20 through 23 June of this year.
The King and Queen were invited on the state visit to Italy by President Sergio Mattarella. In the Italian Republic, they will visit Rome, Milan, and Palermo. They will be accompanied by Bert Koenders, Minister of Foreign Affairs. Furthermore, a "broad economic mission will take place parallel to the visit, led by the Minister for Foreign Trade and Development Cooperation, Lilianne Ploumen," according to the Royal House of the Netherlands.
In 2012, President Giorgio Napolitano of Italy travelled to the Netherlands on a state visit while Willem-Alexander's mother, Princess (then Queen) Beatrix was on the throne.
Read more:
Dutch monarchs to visit Italy and the Vatican City – Royal Central (http://royalcentral.co.uk/europe/netherlands/dutch-monarchs-to-visit-italy-and-the-vatican-city-76954)
Queen Maxima will wear black with her audience with the Pope. She will not wear white like Princess Charlene of Monaco did. Maxima does not have privilege du blanc.
It is ironic that Queen Maxima who was raised as a Catholic and who has not converted to her spouse's Dutch Reform denomination will not be wearing white while Princess Charlene who was a convert will be.
^ Would it have something to do with their respective countries? Perhaps few Monagesques are non-Catholic and wearing white when visiting the Pontiff is the custom there? What proportion of the population of the Netherlands is RC? I know Queen Sylvia (Lutheran?) and princess Madeleine (ditto) wore black when they visited when Maddie was pregnant with her son.
I know I was surprised when Queen Elizabeth visited this Pope last year and she wasn't swathed in black veil etc. Perhaps there has been a bit of modernisation and the Pope's officials have told visitors from Protestant countries that female wear is reasonably optional.
@Curryong as I've always understood it the Privlege du Blanc was always reserved for the consorts of the remaining Catholic monarchies: Luxembourg, Lichtenstein, Belgium, Monaco and Spain though the Savoys have the privilege as well. However it appears that Pope Francis is not a stickler for these old traditions.
This article gives what most royal watchers seem to believe is the history of the custom and who may currently wear white when meeting with the Holy Father. Queens in White - Privilège du blanc - History of Royal Women (http://www.historyofroyalwomen.com/the-royal-women/queens-white-privilege-du-blanc/)