‘Bellissima’: Kate receives warm welcome in Italy on return to foreign tours

Britain’s Princess of Wales received a rapturous welcome in Italy as she returned to foreign royal tours for the first time in three years, in what was described by aides as a “significant moment”.

Chants of “Kate, Kate, Kate” rang out around a piazza in Reggio Emilia after she was welcomed by mayor Marco Massari and received his city’s highest honour – Primo Tricolore – during a town hall ceremony.

It recognised her efforts promoting the early years development of children, a subject which prompted her visit to learn more about an innovative approach to teaching youngsters pioneered in Reggio Emilia.

After Massari read out Kate’s early years credentials during a short ceremony, the princess put her hand on her heart and said: “Wow, what an honour. I’m very grateful, it’s very gratefully accepted.”

For more than a decade childhood development has been central to the future queen’s public work and the visit comes after Kate recently launched a new resource, for people working with youngsters and their families, from her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood.

She has travelled to speak to practitioners and parents involved in the Reggio Emilia Approach, recognised across the globe, that stresses the importance of the parents, educators and environment – “the third teacher” – that surround a child.

Kate first arrived to screams, whoops and shouts of “bellissima” and told the mayor the warm welcome had left her “emotional, seeing everyone”.

“Aww, thank you,” she told him, putting her hand on her heart and looking around at hundreds of people.

Kate spoke Italian to a group of pre-school children, a language she learnt during a gap-year stay in Florence, and introduced herself as Caterina as she crouched down to chat to the youngsters.

“Parlo un po’ d’italiano,” – I speak a little Italian – she said, before asking their names. “Come ti chiami? Io sono Catarina.”

Alice, five, said afterwards: “She asked my name in Italian. She spoke Italian very well.”

During the town hall reception, the princess chatted to local grandmothers known as “nonnas” – Carla Nironi, Iona Bartoli, and Eletta Bertani – who through interpreters described their work spreading the Reggio Emilia method through the community.

“I love that you put children and childhood at the heart of the community, and I’m really fascinated to learn more about it,” said Kate.

Later the future queen spent 15 minutes meeting the public outside, shaking outstretched hands, posing for selfies and even stroking the feet of a baby hung over a crash barrier.

Baby Elena, aged three months, was held up by her mother Marta and beamed as the princess stopped to play with her.

Michael Cocchi, 51, from Parma, who was wearing a Wales rugby top, handed Kate a bouquet as she greeted dozens of well-wishers and appeared to say the greeting “piacere”.

Cocchi said: “I gave Kate some flowers, pink and white roses, because I’ve loved Great Britain since I was a child.

“I admire British culture, I admire British history and I’m inspired by British literature.

“I think the royal family still has an important role in British culture.”

The two-day visit to Reggio Emilia, near Bologna, is the beginning of a “really significant moment” after her cancer recovery, an aide to the princess has said, with Kate “taking it up a gear” in pursuit of her “global mission”.

The future queen will take her early years crusade around the world to start a conversation about the issue with renewed vigour following her cancer experience, the aide said.

Kate revealed at the start of last year she was in remission after receiving chemotherapy treatment for an undisclosed form of cancer.

She has not travelled abroad for a major visit since December 2022 when she went to Boston in the US with the Prince of Wales for his Earthshot Prize award ceremony.

After Kate’s meet-and-greet with the public Sara Giliolo, a local, said it was a “very big day” for Reggio Emilia.

“It’s very important to us,” she added. “It’s a great honour that it is her first trip after her illness, people here love her.”

Later Kate rolled up the sleeves of her trouser suit by Edeline Lee to work with clay when she visited the world-renowned Loris Malaguzzi International Centre, named after the Italian psychologist and educator who founded the Reggio Emilia municipal network of infant-toddler centres and pre-schools after the Second World War.

Opened in 2006, the centre serves as a meeting place for international researchers, teachers and families, focusing on creativity, research and the documentation of children’s learning.

After seeing several “light sensory” spaces that children engage with, Kate got stuck into the centre’s clay atelier workshop, led by atelierista, Marco Spaggiari, where she heard how an atelier works in practice, and how children benefit.

Sitting down at the table covered with lumps of clay, Kate spoke of how beneficial it is for a child to “actually be able to stop and use your hands and pay attention… these simple things that are all around us.”

Slicing herself a lump of clay with wire which she rolled into a long, thing shape, she joked about how she was making clay pasta.

Later Kate had an “inspiring day” learning about the Reggio Emilio approach to early years when she visited the second municipal pre-school in the city to adopt the philosophy.

Named after the famous diarist Anne Frank, she joined children working on projects for a story-telling festival next week and said: “The world children are growing up in is so fast-paced and actually encouraging them to slow down and really engage in these creative activities, it’s so important.

“And to explore language in the way that you’re doing, creatively, in a really expressive way through storytelling, it really connects to them.”

Before leaving, Kate commented about the Reggio Emilia education philosophy telling an educator from the pre-school: “It’s been such an inspiring day for me. To see the history, where it started, to where it is now, and to see how it’s stood the test of time.

“The city should be proud, you’re leading the way globally.”