King Philippe and Queen Mathilde of Belgium were among the royals in attendance in Vatican City on Sunday morning for Pope Leo's papal inauguration. The Queen wore all white, a privilege reserved exclusively for Catholic queens, with a lace veil, a peplum button-down jacket cinched with a thin belt, a long pleated skirt, and stiletto heels. They were joined by thePrince Edward of the United Kingdom, King Felipe and Queen Letizia of Spain, Prince Albert and Princess Charlene of Monaco, and Luxembourg's Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa. The Belgians are one of the few remaining Catholic royal families in Europe and have maintained close ties to the Holy See. Pope Francis I, for example, most recently met with the Belgian monarchs at Laeken Castle—the official residence of the Belgian royal family—during a state visit to Belgium and Luxembourg in September 2024. In the wake of Pope Francis's death in April, the King and Queenresponded with condolencesquickly,writing on April 21, "He was a great man, close to the most humble and concerned about the world's problems. We share the grief of all Catholics around the world and all those who loved and appreciated him. We also express our gratitude for the honor he bestowed upon us by visiting our country." King Philippe and Queen Mathilde were also some of the first royals to confirm their attendance for thePope Francis's funeralin April. However, unlikeEurope's other remaining Catholic royal families, they did not issue or publish any kind of response after the announcement of Pope Leo as head of the Roman Catholic Church on May 8. You Might Also Like 12 Weekend Getaway Spas For Every Type of Occasion 13 Beauty Tools to Up Your At-Home Facial Game
