Princess Kate confirms first international trip following recovery from cancer

Kate Middleton is set to resume overseas royal duties with a planned visit to Italy, marking her first international work trip since revealing her cancer diagnosis in 2024.

On May 5, Kensington Palace confirmed that the Princess of Wales, 44, will travel to northern Italy from May 13 to May 14. The visit comes after a challenging year in which she largely stepped back from public engagements while undergoing treatment, later announcing in early 2025 that she was in remission and gradually returning to a fuller schedule.

The two-day trip will take Kate to Reggio Emilia, a city globally recognized for its innovative approach to early childhood education. The visit aligns closely with one of her longstanding priorities: early years development.

Palace officials described the trip as a “fact-finding mission,” with the princess expected to meet educators, parents, children, and community leaders to observe the Reggio Emilia approach in practice.

“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,” her spokesperson said in a statement

Princess Kate has previously undertaken similar international engagements focused on early learning. In 2022, she traveled to Denmark to explore child development initiatives, including projects that emphasize outdoor education and play-based learning.

She launched The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood in 2021 and the Shaping Us campaign in January 2023.

Ahead of her Italy trip, the princess is also scheduled to appear at the University of East London on May 6 to launch a new guide aimed at supporting professionals working with young children.