Princess Kate announces visit to Italy for early childhood fact-finding mission

The Princess of Wales has announced her return to the international stage with an upcoming visit to Italy, scheduled for May 13 to May 14.

This two-day engagement in Reggio Emilia marks her first official working trip abroad since her cancer diagnosis in 2024.

Following a period of recovery and her subsequent return to a full schedule in early 2025, the 44-year-old royal is now prioritising her cornerstone cause: the vital importance of early childhood development.

Kensington Palace confirmed that the Princess views this trip as a "significant next step" for her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood.

"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," her spokesperson said in a statement.

Ahead of the tour, the Princess is visiting the University of East London to launch a new professional guide titled Foundations for Life.

In a written appeal for the launch, the Princess noted that in an "increasingly distracted, fragmented and digital" world, investing in human connection is essential.

She highlighted that a child's brain grows to 90% of its adult size by age five, making it a "critical window" for social development.

Previously, the Princess has worked extensively with experts from Harvard and Yale to integrate early years research into the corporate sector.

These ongoing efforts follow her successful 2022 fact-finding mission to Denmark, where she explored similar themes of play-based learning and resilience.