The Princess of Wales is returning to the international spotlight. On Wednesday, Kensington Palace announced that Catherine is heading to Reggio Emilia, Italy, for a special tour next week. Her two-day visit, from May 13–14, will focus on supporting causes in early childhood development, one of her most personal royal projects.
She’ll make the trip solo, carrying the banner of the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, which she launched in 2021 to highlight the importance of children’s early years. This will be Kate’s first overseas tour since attending the 2022 Earthshot Prize Awards in Boston with Prince William. It’s also her first international visit since revealing her cancer diagnosis in March 2024.
Reggio Emilia, a city in northern Italy, is the birthplace of the “Reggio Emilia Approach.” This educational philosophy, developed after World War II, focuses on creativity, teamwork, emotional growth, and how children connect with the world. During her stay, Kate will meet with teachers, families, children, and local leaders to see this approach in action within classrooms and the community.
She made a similar excursion to Denmark in 2022, her last solo trip abroad, where she learned more about the country’s framework for children’s education.
“The Princess is very much looking forward to visiting Italy next week and seeing first-hand how the Reggio Emilia approach creates environments where nature and loving human relationships come together to support children’s development,” a Kensington Palace spokesperson said in a statement.
This is the latest chapter in Kate’s ongoing work in early childhood causes. After announcing her remission in early 2025, she’s been making a steady return to public life, attending royal events and continuing her advocacy for childhood development and mental health.
Ahead of her Italy trip, Kate visited the University of East London to launch Foundations for Life: A Guide to Social and Emotional Development, a new resource from her Centre for Early Childhood. In the introduction, she highlights the importance of connection in today’s fast-paced digital world, writing: “By age 5, our brains have already grown to 90% of their adult size, a period during which they form more than a million new connections every second.”
Kate’s upcoming tour will be her first official visit to Italy as Princess of Wales. But the country already holds special meaning to her, as she studied Italian in Florence during a gap year before starting university.
