The Princess in British Brands for Italy Trip Day One

The Princess of Wales chose an ensemble by Edeline Lee for her first official overseas trip in more than three years. 

The Princess traveled to Reggio Emilia, in Northern Italy, a city renowned for its approach to early childhood development. Her first stop was Piazza Camillo Prampolini, where the community’s Town Hall is located. The Princess was greeted by large crowds of well-wishers eager to see her.

Max Foster of CNN shared a video of the Princess arriving. 

Princess of Wales has arrived here in Reggio Emilia. It’s her first solo foreign work trip for four years pic.twitter.com/49oEm3cz1P

— Matt Wilkinson (@MattSunRoyal) May 13, 2026

This gives you an idea of where Reggio Emilia is located. In its story, Reuters notes that the “Reggio Emilia approach … places relationships, the environment, and community at the heart of a child’s development.” 

The Reuters piece also reports, “In her meetings with ​administrators, teachers, parents and children, Kate will focus on the historical roots of the city’s schools, the role played by women, the connection between ‌nature and ⁠learning, and the involvement of the local community, officials said.” The New York Times provides additional background in this piece. 

Reggio Emilia’s educational approach took root after World War II, when local women used the proceeds from the sale of a tank, six horses and some trucks to build a preschool. A network of municipal infant-toddler centers and preschools followed, inspired by Loris Malaguzzi, an education expert intent on making them places of experimentation and innovation.

A delegation from Catherine’s foundation quietly visited the city about six weeks ago, taking one of the many courses offered each year by Reggio Children, the organization that promotes the educational approach.

Mayor Marco Massari welcomed the Princess.

More from royal reporter Tom Sykes. 

In the town square, anticipation has been building for hours, with crowds gathering ahead of Catherine’s arrival, waving “Ciao Kate” signs and giving the Princess of Wales a warm Italian welcome. Italy is said to hold fond memories for her, dating back to her gap year after leaving Marlborough College in 2000, when a teenage Kate spent time studying at the British Institute in Florence.

The Princess wasted no time greeting people in the crowd.

We learn more from The Mirror’s story by royal editor Russell Myers. 

The Princess, who stepped out of her car to screams, whoops and shouts of “bellissima” and “kate!”, launched herself into a walkabout, where people had been waiting up to five hours to see her. She was heard to tell the Mayor of Reggio Emilia that the warm welcome had left her “emotional, seeing everyone”. “Aww, thank you,” she told him, putting her hand on her heart and looking around.

We return to The Mirror piece. 

Pausing to speak to children from local pre-schools, she crouched down to get to their eye level to chat. “Parlo un po’ d’italiano,” she said, gesturing that she speaks only a little Italian before asking their names. “Come ti chiami? Io sono Catarina.”

Alice, aged five, said afterwards: “She asked my name in Italian. She spoke Italian very well.” Roberta Marzi, a teacher, said of the children, who were aged three to five: “She asked them some simple questions but her Italian was perfect she spoke clearly.”

She then spent time indoors with the mayor, town officials, and the three women instrumental in the Reggio Emilia movement.

We learn details by returning to The Mirror story one more time. 

She then spent half an hour sitting down with local “nonnas” – Carla Nironi, Iona Bartoli, and Eletta Bertani – who told her of their work to spread the Reggio Emilia method through the community. All three women were born around the start of the Second World War, and are considered instrumental in creating the programme that the Princess is here to see.

The Princess also received a high honor. Simon Perry has more in his People article. 

…[she] also visited the Sala del Tricolore, which sits within the City Hall and is the birthplace of the Italian flag. There she was presented with the “Primo Tricolore,” the city’s highest honor, in recognition of her work with early childhood development.

After the meeting concluded, the Princess and city officials headed back outside.

And the Princess greeted more people in the crowd. 

Russell Myers of The Mirror posted a video as the Princess greeted this tiny fan. 

The crowds have come out for the Princess of Wales in Reggio Emilia today 🇮🇹 pic.twitter.com/5xfOd5xy2G

— Russell Myers (@rjmyers) May 13, 2026

Another view of the Princess chatting with people. 

We return to the People story. 

A teacher from the city was especially happy to meet Kate, as the reason for her visit is the unique Reggio Emilia Approach to education. “I shook her hand and thanked her for coming here and said it was a huge honor for us. She said it was a huge honor for her to see the city.”

“When she started her early childhood project, I always thought that sooner or later she would come here because it’s been a staple in our community since the Second World War,” the teacher said. “I can see why she came to Reggio Emilia because her vision is so similar to ours.”

The Princess’s next engagement was at the Loris Malaguzzi International Centre, the primary hub for the promotion and teaching of the Reggio Emilia Approach, named after its founder Loris Malaguzzi.

GB News provides more information in this piece. 

The facility, which opened in 2006, functions as a hub for international researchers, teachers and families interested in children’s learning and creativity. 

The institution bears the name of Loris Malaguzzi, an Italian psychologist and educator who established the Reggio Emilia network of infant-toddler centres and preschools in the aftermath of the Second World War.

Here you see the Princess in the facility’s “light atelier.” We learn details from this Telegraph piece. 

While walking through the centre’s “light atelier”, a room filled with hanging plastic waves and ornaments on the walls, the centre’s president, Maddalena Tedeschi, explained how it encourages children to interact and play.

“It’s encouraging children these days to slow down because their world is so fast-paced now,” said the Princess. “It’s getting them to notice things, in their sensory environment as well.”  

She also took part in a clay workshop. 

Another view. 

Below, the Princess viewing materials ready for use in a workshop.

We go back to The Telegraph’s story. 

Shown a table covered with multi-coloured plastic objects for children to play with, she said she had put on similar activities for Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis at home.

“I did this in lockdown with the children,” she said. “We tried to find as many objects in the house as we could with as many colours in the rainbow as possible.”

She spent time with educators interested in the Centre’s work.

We return to the GB News piece. 

Before concluding her trip, Catherine spent time with a group of Latin American educators who had journeyed to the Centre as part of a study programme.

The delegates, hailing from Mexico, Brazil and Colombia, were at the facility to gain insights into the Reggio Emilia methodology. They plan to apply what they have learned to educational settings in their respective countries upon returning home.

Another view. 

Below, the Princess as she left the Centre.

The Princess’s final stop today was the Scuola Comunale d’Infanzia Anna Frank, “a municipal pre-school…[that] places particular value on learning through creativity and relationships, reflecting the core principles of the Reggio Emilia Approach,” per a Kensington Palace news release. Below, the Princess is seen arriving at the school.

The New York Times article provides more information. 

On Wednesday afternoon, Catherine visited the Scuola Comunale d’Infanzia Anna Frank, a municipal preschool for 3- to 6-year-olds, where she observed an “atelier,” a creative moment for self-expression that is central to the approach. In this case, children interpreted the forms that winds take using different materials and colors, and brainstormed words that clouds bring to mind. Catherine added her own: “Dream,” said Annalisa Rabotti, an education expert who works for the city. “She was very curious and interested and empathetic,” she added.

We go back to The Telegraph’s article. 

Taking part in an art project, she added: “The world children are growing up in is so fast-paced and actually encouraging them to slow down and really engage in these creative activities. 

“It’s so important to explore language in the way that you’re doing, creatively, in a really expressive way through storytelling. It really connects to them.”

Here is a quick video showing the Princess speaking with the children. 

The Princess of Wales speaking in Italian with the children. From hello on Instagram. pic.twitter.com/pY0kKZohID

— Sabirah Lohn 💕🦕🦖 (@SabirahLohn) May 13, 2026

This AOL piece provides more information about the workshop. 

…the mother-of-three participated in a creative session led by atelierista Daniela Casali, working alongside a group of young pupils. This hands-on activity showcased the distinctive function of the atelierista within the educational framework, highlighting how artistic exploration forms a cornerstone of the Reggio Emilia method.

We return to the AOL story. 

As the classroom session neared its end, the future queen was overheard saying: “If only more educational settings had this approach.”

During her visit, the 44-year-old spoke about the struggles of children growing up in a “fast-paced” world.

Elsewhere, Catherine brought up her late dog, Lupo, noting he had a “big personality”. Children were writing different animals down on paper, and Lupo happens to mean “wolf” in Italian.

Lupo, the beloved English Cocker Spaniel belonging to Catherine and Prince William, died in November 2020 at the age of nine.

After the classroom sessions, the Princess, students, and administrators ventured outside. 

The Princess with a hug for a student.

The Princess also met members of the school’s cooking team and heard about their vital roles at the school.

Now, for our look at what the Princess wore for today’s engagements.

We begin with Edeline Lee’s ‘Lola’ Blazer ($2020), featuring a slim cut with notched lapels, a gathered or ruched back waist, flap front pockets, a single chest pocket, and contrasting white fabric-covered buttons.

The coordinating Averill Trouser ($970) offers a fitted waistband, side pockets, a welted back pocket, and a pintuck pleat down the center of the leg. Thank you to Ellie at Royal British Fashion and Middleton Maven for their ID work. One of the more notable elements of the suit is that while it is made in England, the fabric is woven in Italy. The other is the suit’s color. “Azzurro,” or “azure,” is Italy’s national color. Thoughts on the ensemble via The Telegraph’s senior fashion editor, Tamara Abraham, in this story. 

Wearing a cornflower blue suit by Edeline Lee, with a Holland Cooper wrap blouse and an Asprey bag, she had made every effort to celebrate and amplify British fashion talent.

It’s an outfit that speaks volumes about how she sees her role as a senior working member of the Royal family. While this trip will focus on her work on early childhood development, the Princess understands that she also has a role in promoting British businesses. Every engagement, no matter its purpose, serves as an opportunity to further that message.

Beneath the jacket, the Princess wore a Holland Cooper Bodysuit ($295), easily identifiable by the goldtone buttons peeking out from beneath the cuffs on her blazer. 

The Princess carried an Asprey handbag we’ve not seen previously. It is the brand’s 167 Micro-Mini Handbag ($3900). Here I show the bag as currently offered in ‘icing blue’ pebble-grain leather. The bag measures roughly 5 “x 7″x 3” deep, with the brand’s signature gold-tone hardware, a top handle, and a detachable, adjustable shoulder strap. Thank you to Gabi for her speedy ID of the bag.

She repeated her Ralph Lauren Celia ($750) pumps.

In the jewelry department, the Princess paired her Asprey Woodland Charms with her Monica Vinader Nura Pearl Necklace ($200).

She also brought back her Annoushka Pearl Drops ($625) with the Kiki McDonough 18K Gold and Diamond Hoops ($1000). 

I will leave you with one more photo from today. 

VIDEO:

The Royal Family Channel has more than ten minutes of coverage in this video.