The Princess of Wales is set to resume international travel with her first solo overseas royal visit since recovering from cancer. Kate, who announced she was in remission at the start of last year, will travel to Italy next week for a working trip with The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood.
A Significant Milestone
This marks a major milestone for the future queen, as it is her first extended official foreign trip in nearly three and a half years. Aides to the princess have stated that she is 'very much looking forward' to returning to international travel, emphasizing that the visit will play a crucial role in expanding the Centre for Early Childhood's work on a global scale.
Kate's last official overseas visit was to Boston, USA, in December 2022, when she accompanied the Prince of Wales to the Earthshot Prize award ceremony. While she undertook two brief trips to Marseille, France, for the Rugby World Cup in autumn 2023 and attended the Crown Prince of Jordan's wedding in Amman in June 2023, these were not classified as official foreign tours by her royal household.
Focus on Early Childhood Development
The princess will visit the city of Reggio Emilia in northern Italy from May 13 to May 14, concentrating on early years child development. During her stay, Kate will learn more about 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 in a child's development.
A Kensington Palace spokesperson commented: '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. As the Centre for Early Childhood continues to build its work internationally, this visit is an opportunity to connect the Shaping Us Framework with leading global approaches, and to highlight a shared understanding that it is in these early years, through the natural world and the warmth of human connection, that we begin to lay the foundations for a resilient and healthy future.'
The Centre for Early Childhood
The centre was founded by Kate in 2021 to raise awareness of the importance of early years experiences in shaping society over the long term and to commission research. The announcement coincides with a visit by Kate to the University of East London on Wednesday for the launch of the centre's new resource for people working with babies, young children, and their families. Palace aides noted that both the publication and the trip signal a milestone moment for the princess and the centre's work in the early years, both in the UK and abroad. In the coming months, the centre will collaborate with early years leaders to embed this understanding into entry-level training and ongoing professional development.
Future Travels
Meanwhile, 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 remains uncertain whether the princess will join him, but her return to foreign tours raises hopes for a 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 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.
