Catherine, Princess of Wales, will mark a major milestone later this month by undertaking her first overseas royal visit since being diagnosed with cancer. The princess, who underwent chemotherapy after being diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in early 2024, announced she was in remission in January 2025 and has gradually returned to royal duties.
Now, it has been confirmed that Princess Kate will travel to Italy next week for a solo working trip with The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood. This will be her first extended official foreign trip in almost three-and-a-half years.
Details of the Visit
Kate will visit the city of Reggio Emilia in northern Italy from May 13 to May 14. The trip will focus on early years child development, specifically the Reggio Emilia Approach, an educational philosophy that emphasizes children's potential for self-development. She will also highlight the importance of nurturing environments and loving relationships for a child's development.
Aides to the princess said she is 'very much looking forward' to returning to international travel and described the visit as an important moment in expanding the Centre for Early Childhood's work on a global stage.
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."
Background and Recent Activities
Kate last carried out an official overseas visit in December 2022 when she went to Boston, USA, with Prince William for his Earthshot Prize award ceremony. She also 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, but these were not considered official foreign tours.
On May 6, Kate visited the University of East London for the launch of the Centre for Early Childhood's new resource, the 109-page 'Foundations for Life' social and emotional development guide. This guide is aimed at practitioners and volunteers working with babies, young children, and their families.
In the guide's 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 per cent of their adult size… making early childhood a critical window for developing the social and emotional skills that become the bedrock of lifelong wellbeing."
Upcoming Royal Engagements
Prince William is expected to travel to the US for the Fifa World Cup in July, around the same time as commemorations marking the 250th anniversary of American independence. It is not yet known whether Kate will join him, but her return to foreign tours raises hopes for a transatlantic trip for the Waleses.
Kate has gradually returned to royal duties since announcing her remission, including supporting King Charles at state visits to the UK. Last month, she joined the Royal Family to mark the 100th anniversary of the late Queen Elizabeth II's birth and made a solo appearance at the Cenotaph on Anzac Day.
