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REGGIO EMILIA, ITALY – MAY 13: Catherine, Princess of Wales meets children as she visits the Piazza Camillo Prampolini where she is welcomed to the city at Reggio Emilia\u2019s Town Hall during the first day of her visit to Reggio Emilia on May 13, 2026 in Reggio Emilia, Italy. The Princess of Wales is visiting the city in Northern Italy as The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood expands internationally. During her visit, she will explore leading approaches to early child development, which focusses on creativity, relationships and hands-on discovery. The trip marks the future queen’s first overseas royal visit since her cancer treatment. (Photo by Samir Hussein\/WireImage)<\/span><\/p>\n Samir Hussein\/WireImage<\/small><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n Princess Katherine\u2019s recent visit to Reggio Emilia was more than a royal appearance or cultural excursion. It was a signal.<\/p>\n The future Queen of England traveled to the northern Italian city long associated with one of the world\u2019s most influential early childhood education philosophies, a model built around inquiry, creativity, relationships, movement, and hands-on learning. The visit, part of her continuing work through the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood<\/u><\/a>, comes as parents worldwide are increasingly questioning what children actually need to flourish in an era dominated by screens, artificial intelligence, and declining student engagement. <\/p>\n For decades, the Reggio Emilia approach<\/u><\/a> has quietly influenced educators around the world. Emerging in Italy after World War II under educator Loris Malaguzzi<\/u><\/a>, the philosophy was developed with strong involvement from parents and local communities determined to rebuild society through the education of children. The model emphasizes what Reggio educators famously call the \u201c100 languages of children\u201d \u2014 the idea that children learn and express understanding through art, movement, conversation, construction, storytelling, nature, and collaboration, not simply through memorization or standardized instruction. <\/p>\n That broader vision appears to resonate with Catherine, whose own children reportedly attended Montessori-inspired programs in their early years. During a recent discussion, Mimosa Jones Tunney described the princess\u2019s visit as evidence that even one of the world\u2019s oldest institutions is reconsidering traditional assumptions about schooling. Tunney, a pedagogical scientist, educator and thought leader is founder of The School House<\/u><\/a> on Long Island.<\/p>\n Children learning at The School House, Long Island, NY, USA.<\/span><\/p>\n The School House<\/small><\/div>\n<\/div>\n<\/figure>\n \u201cComing from the Royals, where they\u2019re doing everything by the book for the last 800 years, she is stepping out and saying, \u2018Wait a minute, this isn\u2019t good enough for our future royals,\u2019\u201d Tunney told me. \u201cWe need to think about project-based learning, manipulatives early in children\u2019s lives, and freedom within structure in creating personal responsibility and critical thinking.\u201d <\/p>\n What makes the moment particularly noteworthy is its timing.<\/p>\n Across the United States and internationally, education is entering another cycle of technological disruption. AI-powered schools and screen-centered instruction models promise efficiency, acceleration, and personalization. At the same time, parents are increasingly worried about children\u2019s mental health, attention spans, social development, and isolation. A growing body of research continues to associate excessive screen exposure with negative impacts on cognitive, emotional, language, and social-emotional development among children. <\/p>\n That tension \u2014 between technological acceleration and human-centered education \u2014 sits at the center of today\u2019s educational debate.<\/p>\nHer visit to Reggio Emilia reflects a growing global debate over AI-driven schooling, human flourishing, and what children actually need to learn.<\/em><\/h3>\n