Princess of Wales to Make First Official Foreign Visit in Over Three Years to Italy The Princess of Wales, Catherine, will travel to Italy for her first official foreign visit in over three and a half years, marking a significant step in her return to full-time royal duties after health challenges. The trip focuses on her work with the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, where she will explore the Reggio Emilia Approach to early childhood education. Additionally, she launched a new resource, 'Foundations for Life,' emphasizing the importance of social and emotional development in young children. The Princess of Wales, Catherine, is set to embark on her first official foreign visit in over three and a half years, traveling to Italy next week as part of her ongoing work with young children. This trip marks a significant milestone in her return to full-time royal duties following a series of health challenges, including her cancer diagnosis and chemotherapy treatment. The 44-year-old princess has not undertaken an official overseas trip since accompanying her husband, Prince William, to Boston for the Earthshot Prize Awards in December 2022. Her last solo international visit was to Denmark in February of that year.In January 2024, Catherine underwent major abdominal surgery, which led to her cancer diagnosis and subsequent preventative chemotherapy. This necessitated a major reduction in her public engagements, though she gradually resumed duties in October 2024 and confirmed her remission in January 2025. Despite her return to public life, she has not traveled abroad for work until now.On Wednesday, the princess will fly to Reggio Emilia, a city in northern Italy, for a two-day working visit with the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, an organization she founded in 2021 and has described as her 'life's work.' A Kensington Palace spokesman expressed her enthusiasm for the trip, stating, 'The Princess is much looking forward to visiting Italy next week and seeking firsthand how the Reggio Emilia approach creates environments where nature and loving human relationships come together to support children's development. ' The Reggio Emilia Approach, a globally recognized early childhood education method developed shortly after World War II, emphasizes child-led, experiential learning through relationships, collaboration, and creative expressions like art and drama.It views the natural world as a crucial 'third teacher.' Catherine has long been interested in this approach, as it aligns with her passions for early childhood development and the natural environment. The visit to Italy is seen as a pivotal moment for her work with the Centre, signaling new global ambitions for both her and her team.Earlier today, the princess launched a new resource titled 'Foundations for Life: A Guide to Social and Emotional Development,' designed to enhance understanding of the importance of social and emotional development in young children. The guide, grounded in scientific research and practical insights, highlights the critical role of loving, responsive relationships in shaping children's lifelong health and well-being.To mark its launch, Catherine visited the University of East London, where she met with families, researchers, students, and educational leaders who have committed to integrating the guide into their teaching and professional practices. In the foreword to the guide, the princess writes, 'In a world which feels increasingly distracted, fragmented and digital… it is more important than ever to invest in what truly helps us to thrive: human connection.' She emphasizes that by the age of five, a child's brain reaches 90 percent of its adult size, underscoring the importance of early childhood as a critical period for developing social and emotional skills that form the foundation of adult life. She adds, 'While our society often focuses on academic or physical milestones, research consistently shows that it is our earliest relationships, experiences and environments which lay the foundations for our future health and happiness.The quality of our connections – with ourselves, with others and with the world around us – shapes how safe we feel, how we relate, and how we process experiences throughout our lives.