The Princess of Wales delighted crowds in Italy on day one of her special trip as she received a warm Italian welcome with cheers and waves. She stopped to speak with members of the public, even allowed selfies and gave hugs. The royal first showcased her Italian speaking skills with children waiting outside of the Town Hall, but later she dipped her toe into the language once again.
While at the Scuola Comunale d'infanzia Anna Frank, a pre-school for three-to-six-year-olds, Kate sat down with pupils and after hearing their names she introduced herself as Caterina - the Italian way of saying Catherine.
© Getty ImagesThe royal made the effort to speak the lingo, which she is likely to have learned when she temporarily lived in Florence in 2000. The Princess of Wales impressed Italians on day one of her trip to the country by speaking in their native language. She spoke with around 20 children aged between three and five-years old from Reggio Emilia-based Robinson Pre-School and the little ones enjoyed her language skills.
Alice, 5, said afterwards: "She asked my name in Italian. She spoke Italian very well." Teacher Roberta Marzi said meeting the princess was ‘emotional’. She added: "She asked them some simple questions but her Italian was perfect, she spoke clearly."
© WireImagePrincess Kate's passion project
The 44-year-old royal is in the European country for a reason close to her heart - learning about the Italian's approach to childhood development. It is believed that the Princess is particularly interested in the Reggio Emilia approach which is philosophy which believes children can construct their own learning through play. This two-day trip will enable the mother-of-three to immerse herself in the approach and on day one she also met some of the key people who spearheaded it.
Power dressing
© Samir Hussein/WireImageThis trip has been seen as a turning point for Kate, who has had a tough few years with a cancer diagnosis and abdominal surgery. Prince William's wife was the epitome of confidence on Wednesday rocking a blue power suit as she waved at royal fans upon her arrival at the Piazza Camillo Prampolini.
Colour expert Gabriella Winters has previously told HELLO! that there is a powerful meaning behind the colour blue. "Psychologically speaking, blue is the most popular colour in the entire world because of its non-threatening placid nature. It is the colour of peace and quiet and it signifies freedom. In the world of business, blue is the mark of formality and it symbolises one's loyalty and devotion to their work."
