Mayor of Reggio Emilia Marco Massari (R) welcomes Britain’s Kate, princess of Wales, at the town hall in Reggio Emilia, Italy, Wednesday, as part of a two-day visit to the country. Photo by Stefano Artioli/EPA
May 13 (UPI) — Kate, princess of Wales, visited Italy on Wednesday in her first official overseas trip since she announced her cancer diagnosis in 2024.
She is visiting Reggio Emilia, a city in north-central Italy that’s known for a unique child-centered approach to early childhood education. Kensington Palace said the princess is very interested in early childhood education and nurturing approaches.
Kate was greeted by crowds cheering and vying for photos of her, the BBC reported.
“Catherine is very popular here in Italy,” more so than other royals, said Paolo Rosato of the local paper, Il Resto del Carlino, to the BBC. “They see Kate as a story that follows Diana.”
Michael Cocchi, who visited from nearby Parma, brought flowers.
“I think the royal family still has an important role in British culture,” he told the BBC.
“Undoubtedly this is a huge moment for the princess,” an aide to Kate said. “There will be many highlights of 2026, but this being her first official international visit post her recovery, this is a really significant moment for her.”
Kate launched The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood in 2021. It explores the impact of adult problems, including addiction and mental health issues, on early childhood.
She plans to meet with parents, children, educators and others at Reggio Emilia to learn from them.
“It’s the first time she’s out officially,” Richard Fitzwilliams, a British royal commentator, told The New York Times. “And she’s obviously grown in strength.”
King Charles III, who announced his own cancer diagnosis weeks before Kate announced hers, recently traveled to the United States, showing he can handle a rigorous trip. He announced late in 2025 that his treatments were going well.
Kate announced her diagnosis in March 2024, then announced her cancer was in remission in January 2025. She never said what type of cancer she had.
In the two-day visit, Kate will learn about the Reggio Emilia approach to education, and she visited the Loris Malaguzzi International Center. She will visit two local schools to see the learning in action.
The city of Reggio Emilia allocates 13% of its budget to preschool services, said Marwa Mahmoud, the city’s councilor for education.
“We’ve always maintained that education — as well as health and healthcare — should not be viewed as costs,” said Marco Massari, mayor of Reggio Emilia, The Times reported. “It is right to evaluate them in terms of efficiency and waste reduction, but they are not costs – they are investments in the present and the future.”
“She actually asked to meet the teachers, the children and their parents, and participate in an everyday situation,” said Maddalena Tedeschi, president of Reggio Children, a center that researches and promotes the approach.
Kate’s aide told the BBC that the visit is part of a broader tour.
“She wants to look at other models around the world and really create a global conversation,” the aide said.
