Most of the time, royal engagements and tours are planned with total precision: each minute is scheduled. However, for all that planning and preparation there are some moments that simply cannot be accounted for. Such was the case during Princess Catherine’s recent visit to Reggio Emilia, Italy, in May this year.
The two-day trip predominantly focused on educational sites as part of the Princess’s work with early childhood studies, but she also made time for a pasta-making workshop on a rural farm stay in Parma called Agriturismo ‘Al Vigneto’. During the instruction, chef Signor Lampredi demonstrated the techniques to create tortelli, a stuffed pasta local to the region.
While preparing to roll out the pasta dough, Princess Catherine reached for the handle of the pasta machine, only to knock it to the floor. In a very relatable reaction, she exclaimed: “Whoops!” and giggled, before saying “I’ve broken it!”
Thankfully, Signor Lampredi was quick to help, jumping in to pick up the handle and laughing as he reattached it.
The Princess regained her focus as she piped filling onto the rolled-out dough, then used a tool to cut the individual pieces. “You are hired!” joked the chef at the end of his instruction.
Taking to Instagram, the 44-year-old wrote: “Over the past two days in Reggio Emilia, I have seen firsthand the power of nature and creativity that put human connection at the centre of a child’s world.
“I have had such a deeply moving and unforgettable time here. Thank you to the people of Reggio Emilia for welcoming me into a culture of care with such warmth and generosity.”
She added: “Our collective work in early childhood must be to protect and nurture the connections that form the foundations of lifelong well-being. Grazie di cuore, C.”
Her sign-off translates to “thank you from the heart”.
Photo: © Getty Images
Princess Catherine’s plea
As her first engagement overseas in years following her cancer diagnosis, the trip was especially poignant for Princess Catherine, who penned a moving essay following the trip.
“Last week, a parent at my children’s school asked me if we could all do just one thing, what would it be? My answer is simple: to prioritise love.
Photo: © Alice Greenfield
“I’m not talking about overly sentimental and romantic gestures, but love that is quiet and unconditional, built on time and patience: the joy found in ordinary things; the everyday magic of life itself.”
Her connection to early years
The mother-of-three has focused on early years as a key pillar of her work as a member of the royal family since 2020, including when she launched the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood in 2021, a foundation that focuses on research, developing new solutions and campaigns to raise awareness.
Photo: © Getty Images
Princess Catherine explained that her interest evolved “right from the early days, meeting lots of people who are suffering with addiction or poor mental health, and hearing time and time again that their troubles now in adulthood stem right back from early childhood experience”.
