Princess Kate to Receive Reggio Emilia Honour
Princess Kate is set to be presented with a major civic honour during a visit to northern Italy later this week, with the recognition linked to her work on early childhood development. The Princess of Wales is due to receive the award while staying in Reggio Emilia, a city known internationally for its approach to early years education.
Hello Magazine reported that Princess Kate will be presented with the “Primo Tricolore”, Reggio Emilia’s highest honour, in recognition of her Early Years work, and will be given the green, white and red flag that inspired modern Italy’s national symbol.
The report said the Italian flag was first created in Reggio Emilia in 1797, and that the honour is expected to be marked during the Princess’s stay in the city. Reggio Emilia’s mayor, Mr Marco Massari, was quoted telling a council session that the visit was “truly prestigious” because it highlighted an experience that makes the city “a model known and appreciated worldwide”.
The mayor also said he believed the visit of a woman who uses her popularity to spread educational approaches aligned with the Reggio Approach was “of great importance”. The Princess is travelling in her capacity as patron of the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, and the recognition in Reggio Emilia has been closely watched as a sign of her international profile as her early years campaigning continues.
The presentation is expected to take place away from public view rather than at an open ceremony, with the visit described as taking place outside a UK government request. The award adds a high-profile international element to Princess Kate’s ongoing early years work, as she continues to use her platform to promote education and development in the first years of a child’s life.
