Royals attend Papal Inauguration Mass at the Vatican

March 19th, 2013  – The Vatican

World leaders and members of several royal houses attended the Papal Inauguration Mass at the Vatican for His Holiness Pope Francis today.

Over 200,000 pilgrims had packed into St Peters Square to witness this very solemn ceremony. Royals present were King Albert II and Queen Paola of Belgium, Grand Duke Henri and Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg, Prince Felix of Luxembourg, the Prince and Princess of Asturias, the Prince of Orange and Princess Maxima of the Netherlands. Prince Albert II of Monaco was accompanied by his very lovely wife, Princess Charlene of Monaco. Britain was represented by the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, also present were Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein and his wife Sophie.

The Queen of the Belgians and the Grand Duchess of Luxembourg both wore white as is their right as the wives of a Catholic Monarch, this tradition is known as the Privilège du blanc.

Other world leaders present were the Chancellor of Germany, the President and First Lady of Ireland and the US Vice President, Joe Biden. The President of the European Council, Herman Van Rompuy, and European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso also attended the ceremony.

Filed under Belgium, Liechtenstein, Luxembourg, Monaco, Spain, The Netherlands, The United Kingdom
Tagged Albert II of Belgium, Albert II of Monaco, Felipe VI of Spain, Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg, Grand Duke Henri of Luxembourg, Hereditary Prince Alois of Liechtenstein, Hereditary Princess Sophie of Liechtenstein, Inauguration, King Willem-Alexander of The Netherlands, Mass, Pope Francis, Prince Félix of Luxembourg, Princess Charlène of Monaco, Queen Letizia of Spain, Queen Máxima of the Netherlands, Queen Paola of Belgium, The Prince of Wales.

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