EMILY PRESCOTT: Sistine Chapel ceiling Instagram photo lands Rosie Huntington-Whiteley in hot water with the Vatican
It looks like actress and model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley may have to ask the Catholic Church for forgiveness – after she apparently broke the rules during a visit to the Vatican last week.
The 36-year-old visited the Sistine Chapel and was so impressed by the beauty and majesty of Michelangelo’s Renaissance artwork that she took a photo to share with her 18 million Instagram followers .
However, photography and even the use of cell phones are strictly prohibited in the 15th century chapel, as many of its fans were quick to point out. Some have suggested the Marks & Spencer model may have used her celebrity status to bend the rules.
Her team told me that they were allowed to photograph the artwork during a private tour of the chapel. However, a spokesperson for the Vatican Museums tells me: “The visit took place during normal public opening hours. We confirm that photos and videos cannot be taken in the chapel.’
It looks like actress and model Rosie Huntington-Whiteley may have to ask the Catholic Church for forgiveness – after she apparently broke the rules during a visit to the Vatican last week
SNAP JUDGMENT: Rosie posted this illicit photo of Michelangelo’s Sistine fresco
Rosie was in Rome for the premiere of Fast X, with her husband Jason Statham, when she visited the Vatican and took the photo of Michelangelo’s fresco, The Last Judgment, on the back wall behind the altar .
She’s not the first celebrity to break the rules. Actors Russell Crowe and Jason Momoa have also been criticized for doing the same after receiving private tours of the building.
Aquaman star Momoa later apologized, saying, “If you ever felt that I was disrespecting your culture, that wasn’t my intention.”
