Queen Letizia appeared in court wearing a sleeveless dress, but without showing her back or shoulders. Has she violated the monastery's rules of decorum? The dress code of the Basilica of Montserrat requires that the back and shoulders not be shown, as is the case with any basilica, as a sign of respect for the exposition of the Blessed Sacrament. Specifically, it explicitly requests that the shoulders of both men and women be covered to "respect the religious and sacred nature" of the place. Thus, the monastery requests that "sleeveless, strapless, or backless shirts be avoided." However, the queen would have complied with the code because she did not show her back or shoulders, according to sources consulted at the abbey. The mention of sleeveless shirts is simply a recommendation, because what is required is that the back not be shown, something Letizia does not do. The dress code also requires that the knees be covered, that is, that "shorts, short skirts, or dresses that fall above the knee" be avoided. The queen's skirt fell well below her knees. Thus, in this respect, she complied with established dress codes.
The ceremony took place in a room next to the basilica, where these rules would not be required. Instead, he went to venerate the Virgin, where this code does apply.