Kate Middleton Visits One-of-a-Kind Italy Center Where Trash Becomes Treasure for Kids

Stephanie PetitThu, May 14, 2026 at 11:24 AM UTC

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Kate Middleton arrives at Remida in Reggio Emilia, Italy, on May 14, 2026
Credit: Mark Cuthbert/UK Press via Getty -

Kate Middleton's second day in Italy included a visit to Remida, a sustainability project using waste to benefit children

Princess Kate's trip to Italy is a fact-finding mission tied to her work benefiting children in the first years of life

"[This visit] is an important step in the Princess’ recovery journey. She takes great joy from this work,” a royal aide said about the royal's first trip abroad since announcing her cancer diagnosis in 2024

Kate Middleton is getting a closer look at how Italy is blending sustainability with early childhood education.

The Princess of Wales, 44, is spending two days in Reggio Emilia, the northern Italian city internationally recognized for its groundbreaking approach to raising and educating children. On May 14, Kate visited Remida, a creative recycling center that partners with local businesses to repurpose discarded materials into hands-on learning tools for preschools and classrooms.

Kate was photographed arriving at Remida, where she was greeted by Eloisa di Rocco, Research and Training Coordinator at the center, before being presented with a bouquet of flowers by a young girl. The pair exchanged words before the royal waved at the gathered crowds and headed inside to view the center's donated materials.

The Princess made a nod to local designers with her outfit choice, styling a nude pleated dress with a Blazé Milano blazer and a bracelet from Milan-based jewelry brand Atelier Molayem.

The visit highlighted a key part of the Reggio Emilia philosophy: encouraging creativity, curiosity and environmental awareness from an early age.

According to the organization, Remida is “a cultural project on sustainability, creativity and research on waste materials. It promotes the idea that waste, the imperfect, is the bearer of an ethical message, capable of provoking reflections and offering itself as an educational resource, thus escaping the definition of useless and wasteful."

Kate Middleton arrives at Remida in Reggio Emilia, Italy. on May 14, 2026
Credit: Stuart C. Wilson/Getty

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At the center, children, teachers and educators are encouraged to view materials “with a new perspective,” using a multisensory, environmentally conscious approach that ties into broader conversations around sustainability and the future of education.

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Princess Kate's trip to Italy is a fact-finding mission tied to her work benefiting children in the first years of life. She launched The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood in 2021, bringing together research, collaboration and action to drive change in how society prioritizes early childhood development and well-being.

Her first day in Italy included a welcome from the mayor of Reggio Emilia in the town square, where crowds lined up for a chance to catch a glimpse of the royal. Princess Kate was greeted with cheers of her name, signs and more — and she even spoke Italian with some of the children gathered.

Kate Middleton in Reggio Emilia, Italy, on May 14, 2026
Credit: Stuart C. Wilson/Getty

The warm welcome was followed by a meeting with educators about their approach to early childhood development and a visit to Scuola Comunale d’infanzia Anna Frank, a preschool for children aged 3 to 6, to see the Reggio Emilia Approach in practice. There, she was bombarded with hugs and high fives from the young students.

Kate kicked off the second day of her trip by doing some outdoor learning with a group of preschool students.

Kate Middleton greets a young girl at Remida in Reggio Emilia, Italy, on May 14, 2026
Credit: Samir Hussein/WireImage

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The Princess of Wales' solo trip to Italy marks her first work trip abroad since announcing her cancer diagnosis in 2024. After spending much of that year out of the public eye as she focused on her treatment and recovery, she returned to a fuller schedule of royal duties after announcing she was in remission in early 2025. However, she has commented that the phase after treatment is "really, really difficult" as well.

"[This visit] is an important step in the Princess’ recovery journey. She takes great joy from this work,” a royal aide said. “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.”

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Source: “AOL Entertainment”