Princess Kate Middleton has completed her first official overseas visit since her cancer diagnosis, choosing the northern Italian city of Reggio Emilia for a two-day trip that has drawn international attention to one of Italy’s most culturally distinctive destinations.
The Princess of Wales arrived in Reggio Emilia on 13 May 2026, welcomed by crowds in the central piazza near the city’s cathedral before heading to the historic Palazzo Comunale for an official ceremony at the Sala del Tricolore.
Civic Honour at the Sala del Tricolore
Mayor Marco Massari presented Kate with the Primo Tricolore, the city’s highest civic honour, in recognition of her work through the Royal Foundation for Early Childhood. The award citation noted her “deep commitment to childhood” and her visit to Reggio Emilia as evidence of her respect for an educational philosophy “built on listening, creativity and respect for the rights of every child.”
The Sala del Tricolore holds a significant place in Italian history. On 7 January 1797, representatives from Reggio Emilia, Modena, Bologna and Ferrara met in the building then known as the Palazzo Comunale and adopted the Italian tricolour flag, making Reggio Emilia the official birthplace of Italy’s national symbol.
The Reggio Emilia Approach
The primary purpose of Kate’s visit was to study the Reggio Emilia Approach, a globally recognised early childhood education method developed in the city after the Second World War by local educator Loris Malaguzzi. The approach centres on the autonomous development of children’s potential, with environment, nature and creative materials positioned as active participants in learning.
Kate visited two schools practising the method, the Anna Frank and Salvador Allende kindergartens, as well as the international Loris Malaguzzi Centre, the global hub of the approach. She also toured Re Mida, the city’s creative recycling centre for children, where discarded industrial materials are repurposed as educational tools.
Departing the Allende school on her final morning, Kate told staff: “I wish my school had been like this, and I wish all schools in the world were like this.”
A Region Beyond the City
The itinerary extended beyond Reggio Emilia itself. On her final day, Kate travelled to Barbiano di Felino, a village in the hills near Parma, for a hands-on lesson in traditional pasta making before flying back to London from Parma airport.
The excursion added a broader Emilia-Romagna dimension to the visit, a region already internationally renowned for its food heritage, including Parmigiano Reggiano cheese, Prosciutto di Parma and fresh egg pasta.
Tourism Impact
Reggio Emilia, a prosperous city of around 170,000 in the Po Valley between Bologna and Milan, is rarely featured on mainstream Italy itineraries dominated by Rome, Florence and Venice. The royal visit is expected to significantly raise the city’s international profile.
Kensington Palace confirmed the Italy trip is intended as the first in a series of regular international visits, with the Princess planning to pursue what her team described as a “global mission focused on early childhood.” Further destinations are expected to follow.
The Sala del Tricolore is open to the public free of charge from the main entrance of the Palazzo Comunale in Piazza Prampolini. Visitors are advised to call ahead, as the hall is regularly used for civic events and council sessions.
Photo Credit: Claudio Giovanni Colombo / Shutterstock.com
