The Sophie Gregoire Fashion Fumble That Could've Been Saved By Taking Cues From Melania

As the wife of Canadian prime minister Justin Trudeau, Sophie Grégoire had her fair share of attention in the spotlight. And it gave us a chance to see some of Grégoire's best fashion moments. But, like all of us, Grégoire is only human, and she also had some sartorial slip-ups. One such moment came during a visit to see the pope in the Vatican in 2017. Grégoire wore all black, which is in keeping with tradition; however, instead of a traditional black lace veil (or mantilla), she went with something more unexpected: a pillbox hat with some netting attached. It looks nice, but it's not in keeping with the way many other women in her similar position chose to present themselves at such an event.

It was just a week before Grégoire and Trudeau's audience with the pope that Melania Trump and Donald Trump were at the Vatican for their own papal meeting, and Melania was wearing a black lace veil that covered much of her head and just brushed her shoulders. It was one of Melania's best fashion moments, and it was far more in keeping with the style standards that have been followed by politicians, royals, and other dignitaries during their papal visits. Perhaps Grégoire was trying to go for a different look than Melania with her hat instead of a veil? Whatever the reason, it stands out as one of those awkward moments from Grégoire seen by millions.

Sophie Grégoire's may have bent the dress code expectations during a papal visit, but she certainly wasn't the first. When Queen Camilla, then the Duchess of Cornwall, visited the pope in 2017, she went even farther afield by wearing an off white dress and no head covering. Typically, only Catholic female royalty have "il privilegio del bianco" (the privilege of the white) that allows them to wear white upon meeting with the pope. And when King Charles and Camilla visited in 2025, Camilla was wearing a black dress without a head covering.

On the flip side, some women have stuck with tradition. When the former first ladies Michelle Obama and Jill Biden each visited the Vatican with their respective husbands, they both wore more traditional black lace veils. So did Laureen Harper, Grégoire's predecessor as the Canadian prime minister's spouse.

In all cases, however, no matter whether they wore a veil or not, all these women were dressed modestly. That is one Vatican dress code rule that doesn't seem to be letting up anytime soon. It applies to all visitors, even if they're not meeting the people. The Vatican Museum's website states the dress code for women: "It is forbidden to wear bare sleeves. In summer the solution may be to bring a cardigan or a shawl to wear inside the museums. Trousers or skirts must cover the knees."