Prince William held a key decision to share any social media post until Kate Middleton was in Italy because it could divert the attention from her first foreign trip since her cancer diagnosis.

Kensington Palace, on behalf of Prince William, shared the photos of the Prince of Wales with people receiving awards at Windsor while Kate was visiting Italy.

The palace says in a statement after the Princess of Wales returned to UK, “Congratulations to everyone receiving awards in Windsor earlier this week, such a special and well-deserved recognition of your contribution and service.”

“Especially proud to see women in sport honoured and celebrated. An inspiring reflection of the impact you continue to have both on and off the field,” it further said.

Princess of Wales Kate Middleton reportedly returned to Britain following her solo trip to Italy.

One of Kate's aides described Kate's two-day visit to Italy as a "really significant moment" after her cancer recovery, with the royal "taking it up a gear" in her "global mission".

The Princess of Wales has not undertaken an official foreign tour since 2022, when she went to Boston in the US for her husband William's Earthshot Prize award ceremony.

Later, taking to social media Kate Middleton said, “Over the past two days in Reggio Emilia, I have seen first hand the power of nature and creativity that put human connection at the centre of a child’s world.

“I have had such a deeply moving and unforgettable time here. Thank you to the people of Reggio Emilia for welcoming me into a culture of care with such warmth and generosity.”

In the statement, the future Queen added, “Our collective work in early childhood must be to protect and nurture the connections that form the foundations of life-long wellbeing.”