Kate Middleton Uses a Different Name While Introducing Herself to Children in Italy

The Princess of Wales “spoke Italian very well,” according to a 5-year-old child

Britain’s Catherine, Princess of Wales is welcomed by children as she arrives at Reggio Emilia town hall during a visit in Italy, on May 13, 2026.Credit : Marco BERTORELLO / POOL / AFP via Getty 

NEED TO KNOW

Kate Middleton introduced herself by another name while meeting Italian children in Reggio Emilia’s town square
The Princess of Wales studied abroad in Florence in 2000 and has previously joked about her Italian language skills
The visit is her first international trip since her cancer remission and focuses on early childhood education efforts

Kate Middleton introduced herself in an unexpected way as she kicked off her trip to Italy.

The Princess of Wales, 44, stepped out in Reggio Emilia for a fact-finding mission to further her early childhood work on May 13 and called herself by a surprising name when she met children in the city’s town square.

Speaking to local children in Italian at Piazza Camillo Prampolini, Princess Kate said, “I speak a bit of Italian. What is your name? I am Catarina,” the Daily Mail reported.

Catarina with an “a” or Caterina with an “e” are the Portuguese or Spanish and Italian forms of Catherine, which is the Princess of Wales’ first name. Born Catherine Elizabeth Middleton, she joined the royal fold when she married Prince William in 2011, where she received the royal title of the Duchess of Cambridge before becoming the Princess of Wales in 2022 with King Charles’ accession to the throne.

Kate Middleton meets children at Piazza Camillo Prampolini in Reggio Emilia, Italy on May 13, 2026.Samir Hussein/WireImage 

In 2023, she similarly introduced herself to schoolchildren at London’s Chelsea Flower Show by her full name, Catherine.

Princess Kate was greeted by about 20 children between the ages of 3 and 5 from the Reggio Emilia-based Robinson Pre-School in the city’s main square on Wednesday and flexed her Italian language skills as she spoke with them.

“She asked my name in Italian. She spoke Italian very well,” Alice, age 5, told reporters.

Kate Middleton waves next to Reggio Emilia Mayor Marco Massari as she arrives at the city hall on the first day of her visit to Reggio Emilia on May 13, 2026.Phil Noble – Pool/Getty 

Teacher Roberta Marzi, meanwhile, described meeting the royal as “emotional.”

“She asked them some simple questions, but her Italian was perfect. She spoke clearly,” says Marzi.

Princess Kate studied abroad in Florence for a few months in 2000 before starting at the University of St. Andrews in Scotland, where she met Prince William, and has previously quipped that she is “so bad” at speaking Italian!

“I have to make sure my children are better than me, that’s my aim,” she said after meeting an Italian well-wisher at Leicester University in 2018.

Kate Middleton is is presented with the ‘Primo Tricolore’, the city’s highest honor, by the mayor of Reggio Emilia, Marco Massari on May 13, 2026.Marco BERTORELLO / POOL / AFP via Getty 

The Prince and Princess of Wales are parents to Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, 8, and Kate is in Italy to learn more about the Reggio Emilia Approach as she takes the work of her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood to the world’s stage.

Her visit runs from Wednesday, May 13, to Thursday, May 14, and marks her first international work trip since she announced her cancer diagnosis in March 2024 and remission news in January 2025.

“This is an important step in the Princess’ recovery journey. She takes great joy from this work,” an aide said of the visit’s significance. “I think it is only right that her first international trip since her illness is one that is focused on an issue she is committed to championing for decades to come.”