Princess Kate Arrives in Italy For Her First Overseas Trip Since Cancer — Day 1 – as it happened

Princess Kate, during her visit to Loris Malaguzzi International Center on May 13, learned about the Reggio Emilia Approach, an early childhood education philosophy, and met with educators and practitioners. She greeted them in Italian with a warm 'Buongiorno.' The excited princess also added, "I’ve been meaning to come for quite some time, so to be here now is very exciting."

The Princess of Wales visited the Loris Malaguzzi International Center after departing from the town Hall, which is the centerpiece of her Italian itinerary. The center is a place where researchers, teachers, and families come together to document children's learning. It is also home to ateliers, spaces that promote knowledge and creativity, prompt questions, and spark ideas, where people of all ages can explore and experiment. 

The Princess of Wales was presented with the Primo Tricolore award by Reggio Emilia Mayor Marco Massari at the city's town hall. The accolade recognizes her dedicated work in early childhood development and comes as she makes her first major overseas visit since undergoing cancer treatment and returning to public duties, with The Royal Foundation Center for Early Childhood. 

Kate is known for flag dressing, a diplomatic tactic straight out of Queen Elizabeth's playbook, but for her first outing in Italy, she skipped the red, white, and green of the Italian tricolore in favor of blue.

Despite her own admission that she's 'so bad' at Italian, Princess Kate gave it her best shot with well-wishers during her visit. It was a charming effort from someone who once studied in Florence. Back in 2018, during a visit to Leicester University, she'd already made her peace with it, telling an Italian well-wisher her real goal, "I have to make sure my children are better than me, that's my aim."

The Princess of Wales looked stunning as ever, wearing a blue suit by Edeline Lee. The contrasting pastel blue pair of trousers and her blazer truly accentuated her streamlined silhouette during the visit. 

During the visit, Kate will explore the renowned Reggio Emilia Approach — a teaching philosophy developed in the city and now recognized worldwide, which emphasizes the essential roles of parents, educators, and the natural environment– often described as ‘the third teacher,’ plays in a child’s development.

​

The Princess of Wales greeted excited children in Reggio Emilia as she reached the city hall on the first day of her visit. And yes, she's truly living up to her nickname of Children's Princess. 

The choice of destination is no coincidence, as early years development is a cause long dear to the mother of three. The Princess established the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood in 2021 to change how society values the first five years of a child's life. In 2023, she introduced the Shaping Us campaign, which highlights the crucial role of the first few years in adult development. 

"As the Centre for Early Childhood continues to build its work internationally, this visit is an opportunity to connect the Shaping Us Framework with leading global approaches, and to highlight a shared understanding that it is in these early years, through the natural world and the warmth of human connection, that we begin to lay the foundations for a resilient and healthy future," her spokesperson continued.

For the unversed, she took a similar trip to Denmark in 2022 to learn more about children's outdoor lessons and the work at the LEGO Foundation Playlab at the University College Copenhagen. This is her first royal trip to Italy, having last visited the country in 2000 during her gap year as a student.

Princess of Wales will travel to Reggio Emilia, near Bologna, in northern Italy, to learn about its child-centered approach to early education. She sees the trip as a ‘fact-finding mission,’ and a 'significant next step' for her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood. A Kensington Palace spokesperson earlier said, "The Princess is very much looking forward to visiting Italy…and seeing first-hand how the Reggio Emilia approach creates environments where nature and loving human relationships come together to support children's development."