Kate Middleton Reveals a Different Side of Herself During Italy Tour ― and It Includes a New Name
The Princess of Wales continued her long-standing tradition of having memorable conversations with little kids on the first day of her Italy tour.
It is commonly believed that people become different versions of themselves whenever they travel, and Princess Catherine recently proved the theory right. The Princess of Wales embarked on a landmark tour of Italy this week ― her first since her cancer remission ― and appeared to have adopted a charming local alias. While greeting a group of school children in Reggio Emilia, she bypassed her formal titles to introduce herself simply as 'Catarina.'
On May 13, the Princess of Wales stepped out into the sun-drenched Piazza Camillo Prampolini and was greeted by hundreds of locals who had thronged the streets to catch a glimpse of her. True to her reputation, she naturally gravitated toward the many kids in the crowd. In what became her signature move, Catherine crouched down to meet them at eye level, surprising the young Italians by introducing herself in their native tongue. “I speak a bit of Italian. What is your name? I am Catarina”, as per the Daily Mail.
Interestingly, Catarina is an Italian, Spanish, and Portuguese variant of her name. While she has traditionally ditched her royal titles to introduce herself simply as 'Catherine,' her visit to Italy took this heartwarming habit a step further by embracing local linguistic nuances.
The Princess undertook this tour to observe the internationally acclaimed early childhood education system known as the "Reggio Emilia approach" and to deepen her understanding of studies in the field. She spent her first morning in Italy speaking with the Mayor of Reggio Emilia, Marco Massari, and pioneers of the approach, including Carla Nironi, Iona Bartoli, and Eletta Bertani. The 44-year-old also visited the Loris Malaguzzi International Centre, a hub where researchers, teachers, and families document children’s learning. She even indulged her inner child by participating in clay modelling and experimenting with creative tools.
Afterwards, the mother-of-three proceeded to what was likely her favourite engagement of the day: visiting Robinson Pre-School to chat with the children. This final stop likely offered another opportunity to showcase her Italian fluency in front of the youngsters. Before she departed, the children crowded around her for an adorable group hug before bidding her a fond adieu.
The princess’s connection to Italy goes way back, predating even her and Prince William’s relationship. Before attending St. Andrews, where she met William, Catherine had taken a gap year after her high school graduation. She spent a considerable amount of that year in Italy studying art history and learning Italian at the British Institute of Florence in Tuscany.
