Leticia, trapped (stylistically and politically) in the Vatican

BarcelonaPolitics often provides strange traveling companions. And if you don't believe it, ask the Pope Leo XIV, who for his proclamation Mass filled St. Peter's Square at the Vatican to the rafters with 200,000 people, including world political leaders of all kinds of attire. Curiously, however, among all the pontiff's colorful guests, few people enjoyed a privilege related to the dress code, which is always monochromatic black when the papal act is solemn. Specifically, these privileged people were the queens of "Catholic countries," who have the privilege of being able to wear white before a pope, an ancient right that surely perhaps they no longer care in the least about, but which the gossip media finds joyful on a workday in which the main story consists solely of explaining something. so horny like a mass.

In this context socosmopolitan –with people from all over the world– that was created in the Vatican just a week ago, the Spanish queen consort, Letizia, shone like the full moon in the night sky, along with three other lucky ones more: Mathilde of the Belgians, Her Serene Highness Charlene of Monaco and Her Majesty Grand Duchess Maria Teresa of Luxembourg. They and their emeritus queens are the only queens who can wear white before a pope since centuries ago they were granted this chromatic right in gratitude for their countries' cooperation with the interests of the Catholic Church, which thus rewarded the monarchies that played along with it. This right, according to some sources, was especially confirmed after the Protestant Reformation, a time when the Vatican wanted to further link itself to the countries that remained loyal to it. And as we will never tire of repeating from this humble platform, fashion is political and always has been. Before spin doctors and the stylists appeared and joined forces.

A privilege for a queen of the people

After all these centuries, white privilege still exists and, even worse, is still used. Perhaps the strangest thing is that it is precisely Leticia who embraces a tradition that is the very definition of privilege. She, who since arriving at the Zarzuela Palace has had the tacit mandate of making the monarchy appear like a house of public servants who only think about the interests of the people and enjoy no privileges, seems highly contradictory in embracing such a privilege, given that only six people in the entire world currently enjoy it. In fact, it may be one of the most minority rights in the world, if we look at it closely.

It's true that in this context, Letícia didn't seem as comfortable as she has at other events, perhaps aware that boasting about privileges doesn't quite fit with her brand positioning. It's possible that the monarch, who tends to be liked by half progressive of Spain, knew that it wouldn't be in her best interest to have so much prominence at that event, and for that reason. Clever as she is, she was aware that she would never convince the more conservative half of Spain—because she's neither rich nor of aristocratic origin nor part of anything they idolize...—no matter how hard she tried to stand out in conservative acts. In other words, she knew that this event could only end up bringing her trouble, demotivating her fans and leaving the most die-hards indifferent.

Perhaps that's why she embraced white privilege so half-heartedly. The suit was the ultimate expression of minimalism: geometric and devoid of any apparent texture that might give it a twist. It seemed as if she was trying to position herself as a working girl of the 21st century in a context where such a position is impossible and attempting to achieve it is completely implausible. If one analyzes it from a political communication perspective, her clothing combination in that context sounded like a desperate cry, because she sought to comply with the rules and break free at the same time.

The fact that she has dispensed with the pint, an adornment that her predecessor, Sofía, did use to hold up her white mantilla, an element that Letícia has worn, has also been commented on. tile, the most typically Spanish item of clothing, was missed in the Plaza de Sant Pere by some commentators, since it is not only a traditional fashion accessory, but a symbol of identity for many Spaniards, who now feel disappointed to see that their representative has not given them the full dose of conservatism despite the fact that when she was a princess, she was a princess. Really, that act was totally a trap for Leticia, taken there by all her contradictions and her institution.

Is it a justifiable display?

But beyond what this act means for the Spanish queen in terms of personal branding, we should also consider what it means for us, the citizens of the country who paid for her flight there. It's only fair to admit that all countries in the world should be represented in international contexts, regardless of the event, but despite disagreeing with it, a queen from a country that is constitutionally secular is not appropriate. In fact, it's even worse; it's a gross political error that should hurt someone's eyes. If the separation between State and Church mattered to anyone, of course.

If the monarch is there in a personal capacity, no problem, but if she represents us all, it's unfair to flaunt something that only represents a few. Does it generate as much division as religion? Is there something wrong with their centrality yardstick?

Despite the queen's contradictions, what stands out most about that day is the incongruous overall spectacle that results when so many institutions that have so little to do with our times are mixed together for the convenience of all of them. People with 21st-century lives end up defending centuries-old privileges and, what's more, they do so on behalf of non-denominational democratic societies that pay for their trip to see the proclamation of an absolute, pro-theocratic leader elected by a caste of other chosen ones. There are also queens on stage who were married civilly before taking office and divorced and now dress in white before a Pope of Rome who criticizes the LGBTI community, despite having so many members in his ranks.

Meanwhile, Catholic queens like Máxima of the Netherlands—who is Argentine—are dressed in black because, although she may be one of the few real Catholics on the scene, she represents a Protestant country. And to top it all off, the most nationalistic Spaniards happen to yearn for Queen Sofia, a queen who is both Greek and Orthodox. In other words, when she attended these events, she acted as both Spanish and Catholic without being either. One year, the Oscars should nominate the attendees of these events, who have such a good time with our money, putting on plays that we, the people who pay for the party, don't know exactly what they're for.