Princess of Wales Receives Warm Welcome in Italy on First Overseas Visit Post-Cancer Treatment

The Princess of Wales received an enthusiastic welcome from Italian crowds, on her return to overseas visits following her treatment for cancer. There were shouts and cheers for Catherine, and a home-made poster reading "Ciao Kate", as she appeared in a picturesque piazza in Reggio Emilia. Catherine received an official welcome at the town hall from the mayor, Marco Massari, and spoke to a group of local schoolchildren, in a city known for its philosophy of supporting early years education. It is more than three years since she last appeared at such an event overseas, but she has clearly kept her box office appeal. The princess looked relaxed and waved at the lively crowds, holding up their phones to take photos as she arrived in the town square, a piazza lined with crumbling, gelato-coloured medieval and renaissance buildings. The princess was getting a movie star welcome, with banks of photographers, crowds pressed against barriers and people watching from windows around the square. In Reggio Emilia the visit brought together the three sides of a royal tour - huge numbers of police, encampments of journalists and enthusiastic crowds. "Catherine is very popular here in Italy," more so than other royals, said Paolo Rosato of the local paper, Il Resto del Carlino. He said the Italian public see echoes of Diana, a previous Princess of Wales. "They see Kate as a story that follows Diana," he said. Catherine has been campaigning to raise awareness about the importance of early years education and Reggio Emilia was chosen as the destination for this trip because of the city's support for children's first years. This could be the first in a series of international visits to places which have developed their own approaches to helping children in their early years. "She wants to look at other models around the world and really create a global conversation," said the aide to the princess. "It is only right that her first international trip since her illness is one that is focused on an issue that she is committed to championing for decades to come," they added. The trip will see the princess visiting educators, parents and children at schools and projects in Reggio Emilia, a city in northern Italy, about 45 miles (72.5km) west of Bologna. These will be the first overseas crowds she will have seen since visiting Boston with her husband Prince William in December 2022. Since then she faced a cancer diagnosis and talked about the good days and bad days of her treatment. She revealed that she was in remission in January 2025. This trip marks another important step back to full royal duties, with this being described as "taking it up a gear". "She's looking forward to being here, she's energised, she's enthused, she's excited to see Reggio Emilia in action and meet the people here too," said a royal aide. "Undoubtedly this is a huge moment for the princess. There will be many highlights of 2026, but this being her first official international visit post her recovery, this is a really significant moment for her," said the aide.