Kate to make first official overseas trip since cancer diagnosis with solo flight to Italy
The Princess of Wales is set to make her first royal visit abroad since her cancer diagnosis.
Kate is scheduled to travel to Italy next week for a solo study trip with the Royal Foundation Early Childhood Centre.
This upcoming journey represents a significant milestone for the future Queen as it will be her first long-term official external engagement in nearly three and a half years.
The Princess, who announced her recovery at the beginning of 2025, is “very much looking forward” to resuming international travel, according to aides.
They described the visit as “an important moment in expanding the work of the Early Childhood Center globally.”
Kate’s last official visit abroad took place in December 2022, when she accompanied the Prince of Wales to Boston, USA, for the Earthshot Award awards.
He also made short trips to Marseille, France, for the Rugby World Cup in autumn 2023 and attended the wedding of Jordan’s Crown Prince in Amman in June 2023, although these were not classified as official overseas tours by the royal family.
The princess will visit the city of Reggio Emilia in northern Italy for two days from May 13 to 14 to focus on early child development.
During her stay in Europe, Kate will learn more about the Reggio Emilia Approach, an educational philosophy focused on the idea that children have the potential for personal development.
It will also emphasize the importance of nurturing the environment and loving relationships in the development of the child.
A Kensington Palace spokesperson said: “The Princess looks 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 Early Childhood Center continues to develop its work internationally, this visit is an opportunity to connect the Shaping Us Framework with leading global approaches and highlight the shared understanding that in these early years, we begin to lay the foundations for a resilient and healthy future through the natural world and the warmth of human connection.”
The center was founded by Kate in 2021 to raise awareness and commission research on the importance of early childhood experiences in shaping society in the long term.
The announcement coincides with Kate’s visit 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.
The 109-page Fundamentals of Life guide to social and emotional development is aimed at both practitioners and volunteers.
Palace aides said both the broadcast and the trip marked a turning point for the princess and the centre’s early years of work both in the UK and abroad.
The Prince of Wales is expected to travel to the US for the Fifa World Cup in July, around the same time as commemorations mark the 250th anniversary of America’s independence.
It is not yet known whether the Princess will join him, but his return to overseas tours will raise hopes of a trip across the Atlantic for the Welsh following in the footsteps of the King’s high-profile US state visit to see Donald Trump last week.
Kate was diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in early 2024 and underwent chemotherapy, announcing she was in remission 16 months ago in January 2025.
He gradually returned to royal duties, including supporting the King on state visits to the United Kingdom.
In April, the late Queen Elizabeth II. He joined the royal family to mark the 100th anniversary of Elizabeth II’s birth and appeared alone at the Cenotaph on Anzac Day.
The Welshmen’s last major extended tour together was their controversial trip to the Caribbean in March 2022 to celebrate the Platinum Jubilee, before spending three days in Boston in December 2022.
William expressed his hope that his wife will start joining him again on overseas tours in November 2024, saying: “Hopefully Catherine will do a bit more next year, so maybe we’ll have a few more trips lined up.”
