00:00Day one in Italy with the Princess of Wales and we saw Cape Mania in full effect.
00:05In Reggio Emilia's medieval central square she was greeted by a crowd of some 3,000 people
00:09all thrilled that she's chosen their city for her return to official overseas travel.
00:15Now the princess was there to meet the mayor Marco Massari and other civic leaders and she
00:19was presented with the primo tricolore, the city's highest honour. But the real excitement
00:24was outside where she took her time to speak to as many people as she could including an
00:28adorable three-month-old baby called Elena and two classes of preschool children who
00:33she spoke to in Italian. From there she visited the Loris Malaguzzi International Centre which
00:38is really the global hub of the Reggio Emilia approach. The princess talked about the need
00:43for children to be able to slow down for sensory play in an increasingly busy world.
00:47Then in the afternoon Kate got to see the approach in practice at a local preschool where some
00:51staff were moved to tears by the fact she'd chosen to visit. After years of watching royal
00:56tours and engagements up close there's also a noticeable difference when they connect closely
01:00to a royal's long-term work. The conversations are longer and there's clearly more familiarity
01:05with the subject matter so the engagement feels more natural. But what stood out most today was how
01:10much time Kate took to speak to people and the warmth of the reception for her. For some in the
01:15crowd it evoked memories of the late Diana Princess of Wales who was so beloved by the Italian people.
01:20From what I saw today that affection is easily as great for her daughter-in-law.
01:24Now tomorrow the visit continues with a focus on outdoor learning, sustainability and community
01:29engagement with a few very hands-on moments for Kate. I'll be back tomorrow to tell you all about it.
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