Prince William reveals Kate Middleton spends her evenings buried in early childhood research paperwork

Prince William has offered a rare and endearing window into domestic life with Kate Middleton, revealing during a radio interview on Friday, 22 May, that the Princess of Wales spends much of her evenings immersed in early childhood research.

Live from the Isles of Scilly

Speaking with Heart Breakfast hosts Jamie Theakston and Amanda Holden during a live broadcast from the Isles of Scilly, the Prince of Wales, 43, spoke warmly about Kate's dedication to her work with the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, particularly following her recent fact-finding visit to Italy.

"She wanted to go and do lots of research. She spends, God knows how much time now, looking through all the paperwork."

He went on to paint a humorous picture of their evenings at home: "She's a proper pro on early years. Most evenings, I'm fighting to get past in the bedroom, what paperwork that she's got lined up, ready to read. So, I'm pleased it went well for her — I think she came back buzzing."

The remarks offer a glimpse into how the couple navigate their evenings once their three children — Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, 8 — are settled in bed.

Kate's landmark trip to Italy

The interview came just days after Kate, 44, travelled to Italy to explore the Reggio Emilia approach — the internationally recognised child-centred educational philosophy.

The trip was notable for several reasons: it marked her first solo overseas visit in nearly four years and her first since her cancer diagnosis, signalling a significant broadening of her early-childhood mission beyond Britain.

William made no secret of his admiration for how she handled it: "So proud, very, very proud. She's been amazing.

"She's been through so much in the last couple of years, particularly. And yeah, she'd been looking forward to the Italian trip a lot. and so I'm really glad it went really well."

Warmth, wildlife, and pasta

During the visit, Kate joined children at one preschool as they explored the natural world outdoors — examining pond life and sculpting tree roots from clay. She practised her Italian with the pupils, introducing herself and picking up new words from them along the way.

At another school, children gathered around her for hugs and high fives as she talked about animals and fondly remembered the family's late dog, Lupo — pointing out that the name means "wolf" in Italian.

Several teachers were moved to tears after she departed, with locals drawing comparisons between the princess and Princess Diana.

Local reporter Paulo Rosato was among those who made the comparison: "She is like Diana was. Here in Italy, we need a good story — a good representation of family."