LONDON (AP) 鈥� is set to make her first overseas trip since , traveling to Italy for a two-day tour focused on early childhood education that will undoubtedly receive widespread media attention.
The princess, commonly known as , will travel to Reggio Emilia in northern Italy to learn about its child-centered approach to , which has become a focal point for educators around the world. The trip is part of what her office called an international 鈥渇act-finding mission鈥� to explore different approaches to supporting young children and their carers.
The choice of destination for Kate鈥檚 first trip abroad since her is no coincidence as early years development is the signature cause of the mother of three who will one day be queen.
鈥淪he wants to make a point that she is going to keep making this her cause,” said Joe Little, managing editor of Majesty Magazine.
The Reggio Emilia approach is based on the idea that young children have many different ways of thinking, understanding and expressing themselves, and that teachers need to work with their students to help them learn.
The visit will highlight the idea that the environment and human relationships that surround children are crucial to laying the foundations for a resilient and healthy future, Kensington Palace said in a statement.
鈥淭he Reggio Emilia approach clearly suits the narrative at the start of international operations,鈥欌�� Little said.
The visit is part of her work with the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, which she founded in 2021 to increase public understanding of the importance of supporting children in the first five years of life.
One of Britain鈥檚 most popular royals, the has proved to be adept at focusing attention on matters she cares about.
When announced that she had completed chemotherapy treatment in a , she ventured into realms not previously inhabited by the royal family, whose members traditionally shied away from talking about their health.
And she did it in a new way, using social media to share the fact that for all her wealth and privilege, her life had been upended by , like so many others.
Then, later, when she announced she was in remission, she spent the day supporting other cancer patients at the hospital where she received treatment.
In a statement on social media, she offered her thanks to everyone who helped her and her husband, , as they navigated the ups and downs of treatment and recovery. She hugged patients at the Royal Marsden Hospital in London and described her own treatment as 鈥渆xceptional.鈥�
鈥淚t is a relief to now be in remission and I remain focused on recovery,” the princess, now 44, wrote in a note signed with her initial, C. 鈥淎s anyone who has experienced a cancer diagnosis will know, it takes time to adjust to a new normal.”
Her new normal involves becoming the go-to advocate for early years education, which refers to the learning and development of children from birth to five years of age.
There鈥檚 lots to do in Britain, where advocates say there aren鈥檛 enough spaces to go around and many teachers don鈥檛 have the training they need.
Edoardo Masset, associate research director at the National Institute of Economic and Social Research, said Kate鈥檚 focus on early childhood development is important because it brings attention to an issue that really matters to children.
鈥淭his relationship between early years education and success later in life is supported not only by strong theoretical arguments, but also by a large body of evidence on the effectiveness of programs for preschool children,鈥欌�� Masset said in a blog post.
Copyright © 2026 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, written or redistributed.
