Princess Kate met some of the key figures behind the program that has shaped the city’s influential philosophy, while also getting a firsthand look at the deep civic pride and community engagement that underpin its approach to supporting children and families. In addition to the civil leaders, she met three women — Carla Nironi, Iona Bartoli and Eletta Bertani — who were all born around the start of World War II and helped shape what has become the modern Reggio Emilia philosophy.

Kate also visited the Sala del Tricolore, which sits within the City Hall and is the birthplace of the Italian flag. There she was presented with the “Primo Tricolore,” the city’s highest honor, in recognition of her work with early childhood development.

After her meeting at City Hall, Kate emerged to cheers from hundreds of well-wishers gathered outside. Locals lined the surrounding streets, eager for a glimpse of the Princess of Wales as she greeted members of the community.

Kate, who has made improving support for children and the people who care for them in the first five years of life a cornerstone of her work, is visiting the city to learn more about its internationally renowned approach to early childhood development. The two-day trip serves as both a fact-finding mission and a major step in raising the global profile of her Centre for Early Childhood.

Crucially, the visit marks her first official overseas work trip since her cancer diagnosis in 2024 and the remission announcement she shared in January 2025.

More than a return to international duties, the visit to Italy signals an ambitious new chapter in Princess Kate’s long-running early childhood work — one that those close to her say she hopes will spark a wider global conversation around supporting young children and their caregivers.