The Princess of Wales was beaming yesterday on day one of her Italy trip, where she was met with rapturous applause and cheers as she arrived at the Town Hall for her civic welcome. The royal has embarked on this solo trip to put a spotlight on early childhood studies and learn about the legendary Italian approach called Reggio Emilia.
Day two is already underway for the Princess, where she has stepped out at Salvador Allende pre-school, a place where outdoor learning is celebrated. The 44-year-old looked effortlessly glamorous in a Blaize Milano blazer with a light pinstripe design and a dress with pleated beige skirt, paired with Camilla Elphick heels. Just like the day before, Kate chose to wear her mermaid waves down, showcasing her incredible hair.
Ahead of Kate arriving, her team shared a teaser about her exciting day ahead online, writing on Instagram: "Day two in Reggio Emilia, where approaches to early learning come to life across schools, ateliers, and community spaces shaped by creativity and shared care. Here, attuned and attentive caregivers, alongside nature as ‘the third teacher’, nurture an immense sense of connection in the children, which is so crucial in the early years and beyond."
Keep scrolling for the best photos from the day, including the moment Princess Kate got hands on with an animal…
The Princess of Wales stunned in mermaid blue yesterday, but today she opted for a more pared-back outfit featuring a Blaize Milano blazer with a light pinstripe design and a dress with pleated beige skirt, paired with Camilla Elphick heels. Her earrings and necklace were both by Kiki McDonough.
Princess Kate embraces nature in all its forms and she calmly held a newt for the children to admire during playtime at the school. Royal Editor, Emily Nash, is on the ground to report on the action and she explained what happened:
The youngsters led the Princess to the pond, where Stefano Sturloni, atelierista for gardens and nature at the city's Preschools and Infant-toddler Centres Institution, showed them a tank containing newts.
Kate gamely joined the children in handling one, telling Stefano: "In most urban areas, even in central London, we have newts like this. It's extraordinary, if you look and spend time, you realise how close it is to you."
"David Attenborough says you have to be able to experience nature in order to protect it - it's so true."
The Princess looked happy as she arrived for another engagement
Next stop
The next stop on the Princess' agenda was REMIDA, Reggio Emilia’s creative resource centre. The royal gave smiles and waves as she stepped out of the car.
During the visit, Kate admired the fabric swatches that the children at the centre can use to create collages and she said that it was "fantastic to see" the materials being reused which would "otherwise go to landfill".
During the visit, Kate cited kids' TV show character Bob the Builder - saying her family adopt his philosophy. "There's a popular character called Bob the Builder and he has a philosophy of ‘reduce, reuse, recycle’ and you embrace that here. It's something as a mother, and I feel as a family we do a lot, is try to have at the back of our minds," she told the staff.
The Princess tried her hand at the pasta machine as tortelli was on the menu. She giggled as the handle of the machine fell off by accident, but looked like a pro in no time. "You are hired," joked chef Signor Lampredi.
The weather derailed the group's lunch plans as strong winds meant they had to relocate inside for shelter. They enjoyed a lunch of local produce including charcuterie, fried tart, Parma ham and parmesan cheese.
Our royal editor, Emily Nash, is on the ground reporting from the incredible trip and our VIP Club Members are able to get exclusive updates.
The Princess of Wales wore a floral Rochas dress to the Chelsea Flower Show in 2017, stepping out just two days after her sister Pippa's engagement announcement