Kate was welcomed to Reggio Emilia by the city’s mayor Marco Massari as she began a rare solo working trip with her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood.
The visit attracted hundreds of locals to the city’s Piazza Prampolini where they gave the princess a rapturous welcome outside the town hall.
Kate arrives in Reggio Emilia (Jordan Pettitt/PA)
A few held Union flags, some watched from balconies and others cheered when she stepped from her car wearing a wearing a trouser suit and waved to the crowds.
Before going into the town hall, Kate crouched down to talk to nursery age children gathered near the entrance, and also spent a few minutes chatting to the mayor.
On the town hall steps Kate again spoke to the mayor and turned to wave to the crowds who responded with cheers and waved back.
The princess chats with youngsters at the town hall (Jordan Pettitt/PA)
The two-day visit to Reggio Emilia, near Bologna, is the beginning of a “really significant moment” after her cancer recovery, an aide said, with Kate “taking it up a gear” in her “global mission”.
The future Queen will take her early years crusade around the world to start a conversation about the issue, the aide added.
Early years has been central to her public work for more than a decade and the visit comes after Kate last week launched a new resource for people working with youngsters and their families, from her foundation.