The Princess of Wales is set to return to international travel next week with a solo working trip to Italy, her first official overseas visit since revealing she was in remission from cancer. Kate will travel to Reggio Emilia in northern Italy from May 13 to May 14 to focus on early years child development with her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood.
Major Milestone for the Princess
This visit represents a significant milestone for the future queen, marking her first extended official foreign trip in nearly three-and-a-half years. Aides to the princess shared that she was "very much looking forward" to resuming international travel and emphasised the importance of this visit for expanding the Centre for Early Childhood's work globally.
Kate last carried out an official overseas visit in December 2022 when she went to Boston, USA, with the Prince of Wales for his Earthshot Prize award ceremony. While she undertook brief trips to Marseille, France, for the Rugby World Cup in autumn 2023 and attended the Crown Prince of Jordan's wedding in June 2023, these were not classified as official foreign tours by her royal household.
The Reggio Emilia Approach
During her stay in Italy, the princess will learn more about the Reggio Emilia Approach, an educational philosophy that emphasises children's potential for self-development. She will also highlight the importance of nurturing environments and loving relationships for a child's development.
A Kensington Palace spokesperson stated: "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." The visit aims to connect the Shaping Us Framework with leading global approaches and underscore the shared understanding that early years lay the foundations for a resilient and healthy future.
Launch of New Resource
The announcement coincides with Kate's visit to the University of East London on Wednesday for the launch of the Centre's new resource, "Foundations for Life," a 109-page social and emotional development guide for practitioners and volunteers working with babies, young children, and their families.
In the foreword, Kate writes: "While our society often focuses on academic or physical milestones, research consistently shows that it is our earliest relationships, experiences and environments which lay the foundations for our future health and happiness." She adds: "By age five, our brains have already grown to 90% of their adult size... making early childhood a critical window for developing the social and emotional skills that become the bedrock of lifelong wellbeing."
New Research on Parental Guidance
The publication also coincides with new research from the Centre revealing that many parents struggle to access clear, consistent, and personalised guidance. The report, "First Five Years: A Parent Perspective," notes that "mixed messages" cause confusion when parents most need reassurance. It states: "Many spoke of wanting more information to help them understand what their child is experiencing and how best to support them, while also struggling to navigate inconsistent advice and mixed messages."
Future International Travel
The Prince of Wales is expected to travel to the US for the Fifa World Cup in July, around the same time as commemorations for the 250th anniversary of American independence. It is not yet known whether the princess will join him, but her return to foreign tours raises hopes for a potential transatlantic trip for the Waleses, following the King's high-profile US state visit to see Donald Trump last week.
Kate was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer early in 2024 and underwent chemotherapy. She announced she was in remission 16 months ago in January 2025. Since then, she has gradually returned to royal duties, including supporting the King at state visits and making a solo appearance at the Cenotaph on Anzac Day.
The Waleses' last major lengthy tour together was their trip to the Caribbean in March 2022 to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee, followed by three days in Boston in December 2022. William expressed hopes in November 2024 that Catherine would join him on overseas tours again, stating: "I think hopefully Catherine will be doing a bit more next year, so we'll have some more trips maybe lined up."
