![\"Kate](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/973250cda250e73d975ff0d45474f80f.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n<\/p>\n
Kate Middleton at the University of East London
Credit: Chris Jackson\/Getty<\/p>\n
NEED TO KNOW<\/p>\n
Kate Middleton visited a London university on Wednesday, May, 6, as part of the next phase of her early years campaign<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
The Princess of Wales met students, academics and families as her Centre for Early Childhood expands with new resources for those working with young children<\/p>\n<\/li>\n
The outing comes as she revealed plans for an Italy trip, marking her first overseas work visit since her cancer diagnosis<\/p>\n<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n
Kate Middleton<\/a> stepped out in London as she prepares for her first overseas work visit since her cancer diagnosis.<\/p>\n On Wednesday, May 6, the Princess of Wales, 44, visited the University of East London to highlight the latest stage of her mission to support the youngest members of society \u2014 and those who care for them.<\/p>\n The outing came just hours after Kate announced she will travel to the northern Italian city of Reggio Emilia on May 13 and 14 for a fact-finding trip focused on early childhood. The visit will mark her first overseas work engagement since her diagnosis<\/a> and the first time she takes her Centre for Early Childhood\u2019s work onto the international stage.<\/p>\n Kate Middleton at the University of East London On Wednesday, Princess Kate spent time meeting families, as well as students pursuing careers in the field, as she launched a new resource aimed at those working with babies, young children and their families: Foundations for Life: A Guide to Social and Emotional Development.<\/p>\n Published by The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood<\/a>, the guide underscores the \u201cvital role of loving, responsive relationships in shaping children\u2019s lifelong health and well-being,\u201d according to Kensington Palace. It will be available via a new hub on the Centre for Early Childhood\u2019s website, giving professionals easier access to key research and tools.<\/p>\n In an introduction to the guide, Princess Kate writes, \u201cNow is the moment to place care and connection at the heart of all we do, and to shape a future in which love can truly flourish.\u201d<\/p>\n Kate Middleton at the University of East London She adds, \u201cIn a world which feels increasingly distracted, fragmented and digital, where life\u2019s pace, noise and interruptions can be overwhelming, I believe it is more important than ever to invest in what truly helps us to thrive: human connection.\u201d<\/p>\n \u201cWhile our society often focuses on academic or physical milestones, research consistently shows that it is our earliest relationships, experiences and environments which lay the foundations for our future health and happiness,” the Princess of Wales writes. \u201cThe quality of our connections \u2014 with ourselves, with others and with the world around us \u2014 shapes how safe we feel, how we relate and how we process experiences throughout our lives.\u201d<\/p>\n Kate Middleton at the University of East London Meeting with academics, students and families at the university, Princess Kate also discussed her Centre for Early Childhood\u2019s latest research, which found that parents value opportunities to speak with knowledgeable, trusted practitioners \u2014 and, when professional support is limited, often turn to friends, family or online advice. Many, the Centre found, feel overwhelmed.<\/p>\n Kate\u2019s effort to inspire and lead on the early years underpins much of her royal work. In 2023, she launched the Centre for Early Childhood\u2019s Shaping Us Framework, which she says \u201cidentifies the key social and emotional skills that enable us to thrive.\u201d<\/p>\n In recent years, she has also expanded her early years initiatives<\/a> to engage the business community. In November, Kate hosted the Future Workforce Summit<\/a> in London\u2019s business district, delivering a speech and listening to panel discussions on the topic.<\/p>\n Harvard University’s Professor Robert Waldinger, who\u00a0penned an essay with Princess Kate<\/a>\u00a0last October, said the wife of Prince William is having a \u201chuge impact\u201d on the subject.<\/p>\n “Early childhood development is not glamorous. It’s quiet and privately done, and the lack of resources doesn’t get a lot of attention. And the caregivers are so underappreciated,” he told PEOPLE at the time. “So, what she’s doing by lending her voice to this is huge. And then bringing in business leaders who have a chance to make a difference is an incredible way to use the platform that she has.\u201d<\/p>\n Added research psychologist and professor Marc Brackett of Yale University, who also took part in the summit, \u201cWhen you get major CEOs to be talking about the value and importance of social and emotional development, then schools and other places take it seriously. The princess has done an amazing job at activating people’s minds about the value and importance of this.”<\/p>\n Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage?\u00a0<\/strong>Sign up for our free Royals newsletter<\/strong><\/a>\u00a0to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!\u00a0<\/strong><\/p>\n Backing her initiative is one of the charities she has worked closely with since her first years as a royal. The mental health charity Anna Freud is headed by Eamon McCrory, who has been working with Kate on the\u00a0initiative for about a decade<\/a>. \u201cThe princess is continuing to build a societal narrative about the importance of childhood, of relationships and healthy development,” he told PEOPLE last year.<\/p>\n “At Anna Freud, we\u2019ve been re-imagining mental health care for more than 70 years, but the princess is looking forward to the future in a rapidly changing society. Her recent essay, as well as her recent talk, emphasize how we need to come together to really strengthen the bonds to help protect well-being and prevent mental health problems and addictions from emerging in the first place.\u201d<\/p>\n![\"Kate](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/e952c2307e2c3e9d59ed2ec774450387.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n
Credit: Chris Jackson\/Getty<\/p>\n![\"Kate](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/072d57b094b02e96b32031705a29ee90.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n
Credit: Chris Jackson\/Getty<\/p>\n![\"Kate](\"https:\/\/www.europesays.com\/uk\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/05\/e4d4c16de2ee8c79ef688ccbb9f560bd.jpeg\"\/)
<\/p>\n
Credit: Chris Jackson\/Getty<\/p>\n