The Princess of Wales has begun her whirlwind visit to Italy and will soon receive the city of Reggio Emilia’s highest honour for her work promoting the early years development of children.
Catherine, 44, received a momentous welcome from hundreds of royal fans who lined the Piazza Camillo Prampolini in the city of Reggio Emilia.
Some were hanging out of windows surrounding the town square.
The future Queen stepped out in a striking blue Edeline Lee Ruched-Back Lola Blazer and matching high-rise trousers, bringing her overall look to a cost of £2,000.
Greeted by the mayor of Reggio Emilia, Kate took a brief moment to chat with members of the crowd and young children before heading towards the town hall.
The royal is set to be recognised for her efforts with the Primo Tricolore at the start of her first major overseas royal visit since having treatment for cancer.
She will also visit two schools for under-fives and be honoured with an award from the city’s mayor for her work for young children.
This marks a great step forward in her return to full-time duties after her health setbacks, including her cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy treatment.
Kate’s two-day visit to Reggio Emilia, near Bologna, is the beginning of a ‘really significant moment’ after her recovery, an aide to the princess said, with Kate ‘taking it up a gear’ in her ‘global mission’.
The senior royal revealed at the start of last year that she was in remission after receiving chemotherapy for an undisclosed form of cancer.
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WATCH: Princess of Wales greeted by hundreds of Italian fans as she arrives for start of two-day visit
When was the Princess of Wales’s last solo engagement?
Kate’s last solo royal engagement overseas was in 2022, when the then Duchess of Cambridge visited Denmark for a two-day visit.
During her trip, Kate met with Queen Margarethe II and Crown Princess Mary, while also paying a visit to the University of Copenhagen and the LEGO Foundation PlayLab.
Few can forget the endearing footage of Kate, then 40, whizzing down a tube slide instead of taking the stairs during her visit to the PlayLab.
Screaming with laughter after emerging from the slide, she joked with the press saying ‘you stood far enough away!’ adding ‘In the spirit of where I am, I had to do it.’
Opting to step out in a £59.99 red Zara blazer and white ruffled blouse – the colours of the Danish flag – Kate was praised for her flair in diplomatic dressing, while the overall visit was deemed as a sign of her growth in confidence as a working royal.
What honour will the Princess of Wales be receiving today?
Kate will today be awarded the Primo Tricolore, Reggio Emilia’s highest civic prize. It consists of a replica of Italy’s green, white and red national flag, first adopted in the city in 1797.
The honour marks her ongoing commitment to forging connections, the healing power of nature and acts of kindness, as well as her work with children and families.
The Reggio Emilia philosophy was developed by Italian educator Loris Malaguzzi after World War II, drawing on his years of experience working in early childhood education as well as psychology.
The project’s roots can be traced to his experience helping a group of women establish a school in a war-torn village in 1945.
He later went on to work with children with learning difficulties, which shaped his education philosophy about prioritising individual differences.
‘The idea is that children are competent from the very first months of life and we need to construct educational contexts that are able to bring out their potential,” Nando Rinaldi, director of schools and nurseries for the Reggio Emilia municipality, said.
He described Kate’s visit as ‘a great recognition for us’ and ‘a source of pride’.
Princess of Wales captured inside Reggio Emilia’s Town Hall for discussion with Mayor
Catherine is currently taking part in a discussion focusing on the historical, cultural and educational background of the Reggio Emilia approach.
The senior royal was captured with the mayor of Reggio Emilia, Marco Massari, and the prefect of Reggio Emilia, Salvatore Angieri, inside the Town Hall.
After World War Two, residents of Reggio Emilia — many of them women — helped finance some of Italy’s first nursery schools by selling scrap metal from military equipment abandoned by retreating German forces.
Pioneering schools for children under six took shape there decades before national legislation governing nurseries was adopted in 1968.
Princess of Wales stuns in blue Edeline Lee Ruched-Back Lola Blazer
All eyes were fixed firmly on the Princess of Wales when she arrived in Reggio Emilia today, and eagle-eyed onlookers were keen to catch a glimpse of her stylish look for the momentous event.
For the start of her Italian visit, Kate opted for an Edeline Lee Ruched-Back Lola Blazer paired with the matching high-rise trousers.
The jacket retails for an eye-watering £1,350, while her trousers cost £650, bringing Kate’s overall look to £2,000.
To accessorise, the princess opted for a striking blue handbag and Ralph Lauren heels.
PICTURED: Kate stops to shake hands and greet the crowd of thousands before heading into town hall
Kate receives a warm welcome to Italy by Mayor and other civic leaders
The Princess of Wales has received a warm welcome to Italy by the Mayor of Reggio Emilia and other civic leaders.
Catherine, who landed shortly after midday, was greeted with crowds of enthusiastic well-wishers in the town square, and looked effortlessly glamorous in a blue suit and white shirt.
The conscientious princess even took a moment to share a picture and a hug with a royal fan.
Catherine will visit two schools for under-fives and be honoured with an award from the city’s mayor for her work. She launched the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood in 2021.
Tomorrow Catherine will meet locals and learn how to make pasta at a traditional rural lunch outside Reggio Emilia, renowned as Italy’s culinary capital and for its Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.
British diplomat Kassim Ramji, the Consul General in Milan, said the visit marked an important moment in UK-Italy relations.
Kate arrives at the city of Reggio Emilia
PICTURED: Crowds of excited well-wishers gather to catch a glimpse of the Princess of Wales
The Princess of Wales arrives in Italy today for her first overseas tour since cancer treatment
Good afternoon and welcome to the Daily Mail’s live coverage of Princess Catherine’s first official royal visit in nearly four years.
Kate will be arriving in northern Italy today for a whirlwind two-day trip as part of her crusade for young children.
This marks a significant step forward in her return to full-time duties after her health setbacks, including her cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy treatment.
She will be welcomed to Reggio Emilia to witness the city’s crusading work on early years development for children and visit schools for under-fives. The princess, 44, is also set to be honoured with an award from the city’s mayor for her work.
Palace aides have described Kate’s Italian visit as a ‘huge moment’ for the princess, whose last solo visit abroad was to Denmark in 2022.
