Princess of Wales visits school children in Italy

The Princess of Wales visited with schoolchildren and spoke some Italian.

Catherine, the Princess of Wales (44), is on her first overseas visit in three years. The Princess travelled to Northern Italy, marking a significant next step in the work of The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood. The Princess arrived to rapturous crowds at the Piazza Camillo Prampolini, Reggio Emilia’s Town Hall, before heading to an educational centre and local preschool.

The Princess first visited the Loris Malaguzzi International Centre, where she was met by the CILM President, Maddalena Tedeschi, the International Relations Lead, Emanuela Vercalli, and the Education Area Coordinator, Paola Ricco.

At the Centre, the Princess spent time with educators and practitioners to learn more about key concepts of the Reggio Emilia Approach, how it supports social and emotional development, and the central role of ateliers & atelieristas. Catherine also received insights into how the Approach aligns with the skills outlined in the Shaping Us Framework, launched in January 2023 to raise awareness of the critical importance of the first five years of life.

Opened in 2006, the Malaguzzi Centre is the principal hub for the promotion and teaching of the Reggio Emilia Approach, serving as a meeting point for researchers, teachers and families, promoting children’s rights and fostering creativity, documentation and educational research.

Picture by Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace

At the Centre, the Princess spoke with children in their native Italian, saying, “Come ti chiami? Io sono Caterina.” [What’s your name? My name is Catherine.]

During the visit, the Princess took part in an immersive clay atelier workshop, which showcased the unique contribution of the atelieristas, who are specialist artist-educators and one of the defining features of the Reggio Emilia Approach, who bring it to life in schools every day. Atelieristas who work within the Reggio Emilia Approach guide children to express themselves and explore the world through paint, clay, shadow, sound and play within early years settings, helping children remain connected to themselves and the world around them.

The Princess also met with delegates from Brazil and Mexico, highlighting the global interest in the Reggio Emilia Approach and the continued draw of the Malaguzzi Centre as a leading destination for early years professionals.

Following her time at the Centre, the Princess then visited Comunale d’Infanzia Anna Frank. The municipal preschool is located in Reggio Emilia’s Rosta Nuova neighbourhood, an area largely developed in the post‑war decades of the 1950s and 1960s. The school places particular value on learning through creativity & relationships, reflecting core principles of the Approach.

In the school’s central Piazza, the Princess was introduced to members of the education community before heading inside to a classroom to hear from teachers and parents about the impact of the Reggio Emilia Approach on childhood development. The Princess also visited the school’s atelier, where the in-house atelieristas led a small group in a creative session. This workshop demonstrated the distinctive role of the atelierista and the importance of artistic exploration within the Reggio Emilia Approach. The Princess also spent time on the cooking team.