A New Chapter for the Princess of Wales
The next two days will mark a significant moment in the life of the Princess of Wales as she embarks on a new phase of her royal career. Two years after being diagnosed with cancer, Catherine is leaving the UK for her first international tour. This trip to northern Italy is part of her ongoing work in early childhood development and represents a major milestone in her recovery.
The tour signals a return to official overseas travel for the princess, who has been focused on her health and family since her diagnosis. On March 22, 2024, Catherine shared the news of her cancer diagnosis while sitting on a bench in the gardens of her Windsor home. Emotional and weary, but with a quiet determination, she spoke about her fears for the future and what her illness meant for her three children: Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
The diagnosis came just months after she had undergone abdominal surgery at the London Clinic. Doctors later recommended preventative chemotherapy after tests revealed that cancer had been present. Six months later, Kate confirmed she had completed chemotherapy and was doing everything she could to stay cancer-free. She described entering a “new phase of recovery” and said her illness had given her a “new perspective on everything.”
In the same year that King Charles was also diagnosed with cancer, the Princess of Wales stepped back from her public duties to focus on her health and family. In January 2025, she visited the London hospital where she had received her chemotherapy treatment in private, later revealing she was in remission. This was her first solo engagement of the year and marked the beginning of a new direction in her royal career, focusing on the issues that matter most to her.
Since then, Kate has resumed a near-normal and very busy schedule of official engagements. From high-profile events such as Trooping the Colour, Buckingham Palace garden parties, Wimbledon, and Commonwealth Day to smaller but equally significant engagements, the princess has defied all expectations.
The only thing missing from her work diary was overseas travel—until now. Her two-day visit to Italy will be the princess’ first foreign tour in nearly three-and-a-half years. Previously, she visited Denmark in 2022 to learn how the Scandinavian country has pioneered efforts to give infants a better start in life. That visit was her last solo tour outside the UK.
The last time she and Prince William embarked on a major tour together was to the Caribbean in March 2022 to celebrate the late Queen’s Platinum Jubilee. The couple also spent three days in Boston in December 2022 for William’s Earthshot Prize.
Kate’s short but meaningful visit to Italy is expected to be the first of several overseas trips this year and next. Rumours of a long-awaited tour to Australia have been circulating for some time, and it is likely to happen in late 2026 or early to mid-2027, possibly around the Easter holidays to accommodate the schooling needs of Prince George, Princess Charlotte, and Prince Louis.
A gruelling royal tour involving a long flight is the ultimate test of endurance, as demonstrated by King Charles when he and Queen Camilla visited Sydney and Canberra in October 2025. It is no surprise that Kate has chosen Reggio Emilia, in Italy, for her return to foreign travel. While not a long flight from London, the itinerary will be packed with activities.
The visit is being done in support of her ongoing work into the first five years of a child’s life—a crucial period of development that has the potential to change the fortunes of future generations. The Princess of Wales has made early childhood the cornerstone of her work in the royal family over the past decade. She has dedicated her time to focusing on the period from birth to five years old, which experts agree is critical to building happy, healthy adults.
Kate is travelling to the region for a research trip with her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, launched in 2021. The centre is now expanding globally, and Kate is looking to learn from the systems in place within Reggio Emilia and how carers there are supporting young children.
The so-called Reggio Emilia approach is a recognized philosophy in early childhood education that places relationships and environment at the heart of raising a child. Last week, Kate launched new resources for families, professionals, and volunteers who work with babies and young children.
The issue of helping the youngest members of society, and those who care for them, has been described as the princess’ “life’s work.” Two years on from what was arguably her most grounding experience, the Princess of Wales is finally able to spread her wings even further.
With more trips abroad on the horizon, Kate is forging ahead and redefining a new era in royal duty by doing things at her own pace, putting children and family firmly at the heart of everything she does.
