Princess Kate introduced herself as ‘Catarina’ in Reggio Emilia, Italy

Here are more photos of the Princess of Wales in Reggio Emilia, Italy on Wednesday. She’ll have more events today and hopefully we’ll have some new photos later on. As a long-time reader of royal coverage in the mainstream and even tabloid press, something is really cracking me up about the coverage of Kate’s Italian trip. The British press is actually *surprised* that Kate is getting such a great reception in Italy. They’re shocked that hundreds of people waited to see her and that she had an enthusiastic walkabout. Kate avoided international work for four years out of a well-placed fear that she would get called a colonialist dumbass, or that she would be booed and scorned. As it turns out, it’s all about which country she visits. She’ll probably never visit the Caribbean for work ever again, but a majority-white country? A European country? Oh, she’ll be there with bells on. Currently, everyone is falling all over themselves to praise Princess “Catarina” and her attempts to speak Italian:

The Princess of Wales greeted well-wishers in Italian saying ‘Mi chiamo Catarina’ as she was given a rapturous welcome on her first foreign royal visit in three years.

Catherine was met by a crowd of 1,000 people – including a very excited-looking baby – as she arrived for a two-day trip to Reggio Emilia. She hugged schoolchildren, posed for selfies and accepted bouquets of flowers. Baby Elena, aged three months, was held over the barrier by her mother Marta and beamed as the future queen stopped to play with her.

Looking relaxed and radiant in a blue Edeline Lee trouser suit, the princess – who spent her gap year in Italy – told the youngsters in their native language: ‘I speak a bit of Italian. What is your name? I am Catarina.’

Royal fans lined the Piazza Camillo Prampolini in the city and Catherine stopped to greet pre-school children in the cobbled square. Some were hanging out of windows surrounding the area. It is the first overseas official visit for the princess since she went to Denmark in 2022, before her cancer treatment.

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

[From The Daily Mail]

As I said, my guess is that Kate’s “worldwide mission” will be centered on “visiting majority-white countries,” possibly once a year, if that. I mean, she’s still Kate, good reception or not, and Princess Catarina does not want to actually work that much. But sure, this has been a much-needed positive storyline for Catarina and for the Windsors. As always, it’s remarkable how much happier she looks when her husband isn’t around. That’s true of Prince William as well – he always looks happier and more relaxed when he’s going solo. Never beating the “they bring out the worst in each other” allegations.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red, Cover Images.