Princess Kate's team shares update after surprise name change in Italy

Princess Kate wrapped her first day in Reggio Emilia wrapped in the warm embrace of children as she leads her Early Years in Childhood initiative to turn it in a global mission.

When the royal was seen interacting with young children in the town square of Reggio Emilia, Kate made a surprise change to her name during introductions.

Kate, who studied in Florence back in 2000, bent down to tell the kids that she spoke a little bit of Italian. She said, “What is your name? I am Catarina.”

The future Queen’s full name is Catherine, which she began using officially following her marriage with Prince William in 2011. ‘Catarina’ is the Italian version of Catherine.

The Princess of Wales, after receiving the prestigious honour ‘Primo Tricolore’, took on several engagements for the day including her visit to the Anna Frank School.

Catherine once again found herself surrounded by children as she spent time with the students and children at the Anna Frank school, “where creativity, curiosity, and imagination are woven into everyday learning”.

Kensington Palace shared some heartwarming scenes from the visit.

“Joining a shared atelier inspired by the upcoming storytelling festival, exploring how ideas can take shape through paper, movement, and making together,” the message read alongside the carousel.

“A joyful reminder of the importance of giving children spaces where they feel listened to, encouraged, and free to express themselves in many different ways.”