At least one exemplary embodiment is directed to a reflective liquid crystal display apparatus which comprises: a polarization beam splitter having a polarization split film used as both a polarizer and an analyzer; a reflective liquid crystal display device; a quarter wave plate; and a projection optical system; where the absolute value of phase difference of diffracted light generated by the reflective liquid crystal display device in a black display state is reduced by the phase difference of the quarter wave plate, and thus the amount of stray light of the diffracted light guided from the polarizing beam splitter to the projection optical system decreases.