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Kensington Palace has announced Princess Kate’s first official overseas trip since her cancer diagnosis, marking a significant step in her return to public duties.
According to the announcement, the Princess of Wales will make her first overseas royal trip since her cancer diagnosis next week, traveling to Italy on a solo visit focused on early childhood development.
A Kensington Palace spokesperson said: "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."
The spokesperson added: "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 visit signals an important moment for the future queen, being her first long foreign tour in around three-and-a-half years.
She last travelled abroad on official duty in December 2022, accompanying the Prince of Wales to Boston for the Earthshot Prize.
Her visits to Marseille in 2023 for the Rugby World Cup and to Amman for a royal wedding were considered private engagements rather than formal overseas tours.
Aides have indicated the Princess of Wales is "very much looking forward" to resuming international travel.
The two-day trip will see Kate in Reggio Emilia, Italy, from Wednesday 13 to Thursday 14 May.
Notably, the engagement is designed to examine international best practice in childcare and support for families.
