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Why Melania, Ivanka Trump wore veils and all black to meet the pope

Erin Jensen
USA TODAY

Meeting the pope called for two coordinating black ensembles for Melania and Ivanka Trump.

The first lady and her step-daughter looked like twins in veils and black, long sleeve dresses that fell below the knee to meet Pope Francis Wednesday. Melania's frock was a Dolce & Gabbana design .

The modest ensembles follow the Vatican's established dress code, according to the first lady's communications director, Stephanie Grisham. "Per Vatican protocol, women who have an audience with the Pope are required to wear long sleeves, formal black clothing, and a veil to cover the head," she told USA TODAY in an emailed statement.

(Left to right:) Ivanka, Melania, and President Trump pose with Pope Francis Wednesday.
Pope Francis takes Melania's hand.

Former first lady Michelle Obama wore a similar look when she and former President Obama met with Pope Benedict XVI in 2009.

Michelle Obama, right, also wears a knee-length black ensemble with veil to meet Pope Benedict XVI, center, on July 10, 2009 at the Vatican.

When Queen Elizabeth met with Pope Francis in 2014, she wore a lavender number and accessorized with a coordinating hat, adorned with flowers and white gloves. She again sported color — this time, a pastel sky blue -- when she was with Pope Benedict XVI at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Scotland in 2010.

Queen Elizabeth walks with Pope Francis during their first meeting on April 3, 2014 at the Vatican.
Queen Elizabeth and Pope Benedict at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, in Edinburgh, Scotland on Sept. 16, 2010.

According to the website for the U.S. Embassy to the Holy See, shorts, short skirts, and sleeveless shirts are not permitted when attending a Papal event in St. Peter’s Square or St. Peter’s Basilica.

Melania and Ivanka opted not to wear headscarves while visiting Saudia Arabia recently, a move that President Trump criticized the former first lady for on Twitter in 2015. "Many people are saying it was wonderful that Mrs. Obama refused to wear a scarf in Saudi Arabia," POTUS wrote in his post, "but they were insulted.We have enuf enemies."

Grisham said in an emailed statement that "There was no request/requirement for her attire in Saudi."

Melania, along with Ivanka, her husband, White House senior advisor Jared Kushner and the president briefly spent time with Pope Francis. One of his attendants presented Melania with a small object, possibly a rosary according to pool reports, that she asked him to bless. After she mentioned visiting a hospital, they both offered each other a wish of "good luck."