Kate Middleton to Italy, First Trip After Recovering from Cancer

JAKARTA - The Princess of Wales or Kate Middleton, is back on a foreign agenda for the first time since announcing her cancer diagnosis in 2024. The Princess of Wales arrived in Italy on May 13 for a two-day visit.

Citing a People report, Wednesday, May 13, this solo visit was called an important step in Kate's recovery journey by the royal aide. The agenda focuses on an issue she has long pushed for: education and early childhood care.

"This visit is an important step in the princess' recovery journey. She gets a lot of happiness from this work," a royal aide was quoted as saying by People.

Kate, 44, will visit Reggio Emilia, a city in northern Italy known for pioneering new approaches to education and childcare.

Through this visit, Kate wants to study the early childhood education model and encourage the issue to become a global conversation. His team called this trip the beginning of similar visits to other countries.

"He wants to see other models around the world and really create a global conversation," an aide said.

Kate announced her cancer diagnosis in March 2024. She reduced her public activities during treatment and recovery. In early 2025, she declared herself in remission, a condition when signs of the disease are reduced or undetectable. However, Kate admitted that the phase after treatment was also difficult.

"The treatment is over, then it feels like, 'I can go on, go back to normal', but in fact the phase after is very, very difficult," Kate said during a visit to the hospital in July 2025.

The trip to Italy continues the work of the Centre for Early Childhood and the Shaping Us campaign in the UK. The program encourages greater attention to the first five years of a child's life, including family relationships, the growing environment, and support for parents and caregivers.

A spokesman for Kensington Palace said Kate had for more than a decade put early childhood at the center of her work. According to the palace, the early years have a huge impact on long-term well-being and broader social conditions.

Christian Guy, Director of the Centre for Early Childhood, said Kate wanted to change the way society supports babies, children, and the people who raise them.

Kate also has a personal connection to Italy. She studied in Florence before attending the University of St. Andrews, where she met Prince William and studied art history.

An aide said Kate had spoken a lot to Prince William and their children about the trip. The family is said to be waiting for Kate's story when she returns to the UK.