Princess of Wales Visits Reggio Emilia for Early Childhood Study

The Princess of Wales arrived in Reggio Emilia, northern Italy, on Wednesday for a two-day visit focused on the city's pioneering Reggio Emilia Approach to early childhood development, marking her first official overseas engagement since announcing her cancer remission earlier this year.

The 44-year-old royal, who completed preventative chemotherapy in 2024 following an abdominal surgery and diagnosis, landed shortly before 11:15 a.m. local time and proceeded directly to Piazza Camillo Prampolini. There, she was greeted by hundreds of cheering residents, some waving Union flags from balconies and the square. Reggio Emilia Mayor Marco Massari welcomed her outside the town hall, where she crouched to speak with schoolchildren, hugged a fan and waved to the crowds before entering for a discussion on the approach's origins in post-Second World War Italy. She joined figures including women who helped shape the philosophy in its early years.

The visit, organized through the Princess's Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, which she established in 2021, includes tours of preschools, the Loris Malaguzzi International Centre and community programs. She will meet educators,...