Princess Kate’s Italian trip is a ‘road test’ for future international trips this year

Pantsuit? Keened. Wig? Plopped. Flag? Secured. Buttons? Present and accounted for. The Princess of Wales’ visit to Italy is probably going better than anyone could have dreamed. Her last “royal tour” was the 2022 Caribbean Flop Tour, and Kate and Prince William were practically chased out of the Caribbean with pitchforks. Then they visited Boston in late 2022 and the reception they got there was pretty dreary as well. But Northern Italians like some keenery. They are button appreciators!! Plus, Kate feels comfortable in Italy because… she spent several months there when she was a teenager. From Katie Nicholl’s latest piece in Vanity Fair:

Sources close to Princess Kate tell Vanity Fair that she feels “energized and excited” about going overseas to a country she has always loved. While on her gap year, before going to the University of St Andrews, she spent time in Italy learning to speak Italian.

Kensington Palace has said the two-day trip will “focus on early child childhood development and forms part of a high-level fact-finding mission to explore leading international approaches to supporting young children and those who care for them.”

It will also, sources say, be used as a “road test”’ for a possible second tour later with Prince William later this year. “Catherine is feeling better than she has in two years. She is super excited to not only go on this visit, but to test herself back in the arena of full-time royal duties,” Russell Myers, the author of William & Catherine: The Intimate Inside Story, says.

Two possibilities for future tours are a trip to the US in July for the World Cup and the official commemorations for the 250th anniversary or possibly joining Prince William in India for his Earthshot awards in November.

This week’s two-day visit will be brief and closer to home. According to a source close to the Princess of Wales, “The trip to Italy is something Catherine really wanted to do. It’s a short trip to a place she loves, and she has always been fascinated by Reggio Emilia because of its groundbreaking approach to raising children.”

“This trip is an important moment personally and professionally for Catherine and cements two causes she cares deeply about, the Early Years and inspiring and helping others going through a cancer diagnosis and treatment. Her message has been positive from the outset – there’s a light at the end of the tunnel.”

Kensington Palace says that Princess Kate remains focused on staying well and looking after the couple’s young children with a gradual return to full time royal duties.

[From Vanity Fair]

I really wonder if Kate will make it to the US in July. It coincides with Wimbledon, not that she shows up for anything other than the finals at this point. But a trip to the US will be quite humbling for both William and Kate. But I could see her trying to keen it up in India. God help us all. As for all of the keenery around this Italian trip… hopefully her good reception there will convince her to at least get off her ass and travel more around Europe, at the very least.

Photos courtesy of Avalon Red.