Catherine returns in Reggio Emilia Approach after cancer treatment
Catherine returned to overseas public visits in Reggio Emilia, Italy, after treatment for cancer, and the reggio emilia approach was at the center of her trip. She arrived to cheering crowds, then visited the Loris Malaguzzi International Centre to learn how the city’s early years model works in practice.
Reggio Emilia welcomes Catherine
People in the crowd shouted and cheered as she walked through the city, and a homemade poster read “Ciao Kate.” During a walkabout in warm sunshine, Catherine shook hands and posed for selfies, a public reception that marked more than three years since she last appeared at such an overseas event.
Paolo Rosato of Il Resto del Carlino said Catherine is very popular in Italy and added, “They see Kate as a story that follows Diana”. Michael Cocchi came from nearby Parma with flowers and said, “I think the Royal Family still has an important role in British culture.”
Loris Malaguzzi International Centre
Reggio Emilia was chosen because of the city’s support for children’s first years, and the visit put Catherine in contact with educators who described the Reggio Emilia approach, which emphasizes children’s relationships and learning through play. Catherine, who had learned some Italian during a gap year in Florence after leaving school, also tried out her language skills on children during the visit.
At the centre, Catherine told staff, “I have learnt so much. It has been really inspiring,”. An aide to the princess said she wants to look at other models around the world and really create a global conversation, pointing to a wider effort to connect her early years work with practices beyond Britain.
Italy and early years
The trip also carried a practical dimension for visitors and educators in Reggio Emilia: the princess’s return after treatment brought attention to a city known for its first-years work, while the walkabout showed the scale of local interest in her overseas role. Police, journalists and enthusiastic crowds were present, underscoring how closely watched the appearance was in the city.
For readers following Catherine’s public schedule, the immediate next development is whether the early years visits continue to other places with their own approaches to helping children in their early years, as her aide described. Reggio Emilia has already given that plan its first public test in front of a crowd that made clear how strongly the princess still draws attention abroad.
