Huge crowds welcomed the Princess of Wales this afternoon as she arrived in Italy for her first solo royal visit in more than three years.

Hundreds of royal fans lined the Piazza Camillo Prampolini in the city of Reggio Emilia to greet Catherine.

The princess, wearing a stunning blue Edeline Lee trouser suit, received a rapturous welcome from the crowds.

She stopped to greet pre-school children in the cobbled square as Italians whooped and cheered.

Some were hanging out of windows surrounding the town square.

Catherine hugged one young woman and posed for a selfie. Crouching down, she spoke to some of the under-six children in Italian.

The future queen is said to be 'energised, enthused' and 'taking it up a gear' as she gets back into royal duties after months of gruelling cancer treatment.

Italians waving Union flags and holding photos of the princess filled the town square hours before her plane touched down at a nearby airport at 12.35pm local time (11.35am UK).

And this is just the start of what is expected to be a worldwide mission as part of her work with young children.

Catherine is in Reggio Emilia - a city in northern Italy famed for its pioneering approach to early years education – to boost her crusade to improve young lives.

Over two days she is visiting pre-schools where they follow the Reggio Emilia Approach – a child-led teaching method for under sixes similar to Montessori.

Those around Catherine are describing this is a 'huge moment', and not just for her work centring around the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood she launched in 2021.

The life-changing diagnosis and surgery the future queen underwent in 2024 has given her was is said to be 'a new perspective' on all aspects of her life.

The word that keeps being used is 'globlal', and this just the start of her comeback.

Catherine seems set to embark on a globe-trotting mission to spread her passion for improving young lives.

Today's trip marks a significant step forward in her return to full-time duties after her health setbacks.

One source said: '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. This is a global mission'.

It is understood the cancer diagnosis and surgery in early 2024 has given her 'a new perspective' on all aspects of her life.

One palace official said: 'This visit is an important step in the Princess's recovery journey. She takes great joy from this work.

'I think it is only right that her first international trip since her illness is one that is focused on an issue that is committed to championing for decades to come, and is a real issue that she wants to shine a spotlight on.'

Improving young lives has been described as Catherine's 'life's work'.

Although the future queen began a slow and measured return to public nine months after her treatment - she was officially in remission in January 2025 - this is her first overseas work trip.

The visit will highlight the origins of the world-renowned 'Reggio Emilia approach' to 'child-led' early years education, which is similar to Montessori.

Following the Second World War, residents - many of them women - financed some of Italy's inaugural nursery schools by selling scrap metal salvaged from equipment left behind by retreating German forces.

These pioneering efforts laid the groundwork for the educational philosophy, which is now influential worldwide and aligns closely with Catherine's focus on children's social and emotional wellbeing.

Christian Guy, executive director of the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, who is on the trip, said the princess believed many of today's 'deepest social issues' could be traced back to events in the early years when children's brains are being formed.

He said: 'Early childhood isn't just a stage of human growth, it is a societal strategy. When we raise happy, healthy children, we build a happier, healthier society for everyone.'

Catherine, he said, was determined to spread understanding about the critical importance of the early years around the world, and was keen to see the Reggio Emilia approach for herself.

British diplomat Kassim Ramji, the Consul General in Milan, said the visit marked an important moment in UK-Italy relations.

Catherine will also meet locals and learn how to make pasta at a traditional rural lunch outside Reggio Emilia, renowned as Italy's culinary capital and for its Parmigiano Reggiano cheese.

As a young woman, the princess spent a formative gap year in Italy as she immersed herself in the language and art history at the British Institute of Florence.

An aide also said: 'She was remembering the happy memories that she had during her time in Florence on her gap year.

'She's had many conversations with her husband the Prince of Wales, and her children about this trip, and they're looking forward to hearing about it on her return to the UK.'