The Princess of Wales will be awarded the First Tricolore, the highest honour of the city of Reggio Emilia, during her two-day visit to Italy starting Wednesday. Mayor Marco Massari confirmed the honour recognises Kate's commitment to children's rights through her work with the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood.
The visit marks Kate's first overseas trip since her cancer diagnosis and treatment. A Kensington Palace spokesperson said the princess is “very much looking forward to” the trip, which will focus on early childhood development. She will visit schools and meet with professionals to learn about the renowned Reggio Emilia approach to early education.
The award will be presented privately, as the visit is not a public engagement. Mayor Massari stated: “We have agreed with the aforementioned British representatives to present the First Tricolore to Her Royal Highness. Since this is a private visit, the award will not take place during a public ceremony, but we still wanted to recognise our city's highest honour to a figure who has placed children's rights at the centre of her public commitment.”
Kate founded the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood in 2021 to raise awareness of the importance of early years experiences. A royal aide said: “The princess is feeling well and energised about making the trip to Italy. It represents not only a return to overseas travel but an important step in taking this work onto the global stage.”
