Princess of Wales puts her pasta-making skills to the test as she hand rolls tortelli on second day of Italian trip

The Princess of Wales put her pasta-making skills to the test as she rolled out freshly made dough by hand on the second day of her tour to Italy.

Kate kneaded flour, oil, salt and water in a large bowl with her hands as she helped chef Ivan Lampredi make some tortelli – a type of stuffed pasta.

The royal, who is on her first engagement abroad since her cancer diagnosis in 2024, described the process as a ‘good work out’.

She added: ‘When I do this at home it’s without a big bowl and it goes everywhere.’

The Princess of Wales then rolled her pasta through the machine, and laughed when the handle fell off by accident.

‘Is there a technique for this?’ she asked.

Kate was visiting Agriturismo Al Vigneto, a farm-stay vineyard and farmhouse in the hills, an hour’s drive outside the city of Reggio Emilia.

Signor Lampredi showed her his technique for perfecting the stuffed-pasta delicacy, which looks similar to ravioli.

Then Catherine piped a filling of fresh ricotta, spinach and parmesan cheese onto her pasta sheet and used a special tool to crimp the edges.

+24
View gallery

The Princess of Wales helps prepare food at rural Agriturismo ‘Al Vigneto’ in Felino, Italy, today

+24
View gallery

For her final engagement in Italy today, the princess visits a rural ‘agriturismo’ – a farm-stay

+24
View gallery

She is joining the team at Al Vigneto in preparing lunch as she concludes the two-day visit

+24
View gallery

The Princess of Wales helps prepare food at rural Agriturismo ‘Al Vigneto’ in Felino today

Signor Lampredi, 49, who has been a chef for 30 years, told her: ‘You are hired.’

He said later: ‘I have shown many people how to do this exactly right and she was very good at it. She is a natural Rezdora.

‘She learnt it very quickly. She was a very easy person to speak to, someone just like us.

‘It has been a huge honour for me to host the princess in my kitchen. I can’t believe it. It’s been a big responsibility.’

Kate also spoke to the farm-stay’s owner, Federico Amadei, who showed her different samples of their Parmigiano Reggiano cheese which is cured for 30, 50 and 100 months.

As the parmesan ages, water evaporates and the paste becomes drier and more granular with the flavours evolving from sweet to savoury, nutty and spicy.

He said: ‘It is wonderful to host the princess. It was also a surprise – we were asked 10 days ago, and since then have been getting everything ready.’

It comes after Kate was mobbed by young children today on a visit to an Italian pre-school where she spent the morning with them exploring nature in the grounds.

Kate, who introduced herself as ‘Caterina’, was hugged and held onto by the children after posing for a group photograph with pupils and staff at the Salvador Allende pre-school on the outskirts of Reggio Emilia.

Wearing a blazer by Italian brand Blaize Milano and a fabric bracelet by Atelier Malayan, a small label based in Milan, the princess practised her Italian with children aged three to six and joined them for activities including handling newts from the pond, rolling ‘tree roots’ from clay and marvelling at the school’s peaceful outdoor setting.

+24
View gallery

The Princess of Wales at the ‘Salvador Allende’ Scuola dell’infanzia in Reggio Emilia today

+24
View gallery

The Princess of Wales is learning about education in nature in Reggio Emilia this morning

+24
View gallery

The Princess of Wales on her visit to ‘Salvador Allende’ Scuola dell’infanzia in Reggio Emilia

+24
View gallery

The Princess of Wales during a visit to ‘Salvador Allende’ Scuola dell’infanzia in Reggio Emilia

+24
View gallery

The Princess of Wales with children during the second day of her visit to Italy this morning

+24
View gallery

The Princess of Wales at the ‘Salvador Allende’ Scuola dell’infanzia in Reggio Emilia today

+24
View gallery

The Princess of Wales is learning about education in nature in Reggio Emilia this morning

+24
View gallery

The Princess of Wales at the ‘Salvador Allende’ Scuola dell’infanzia in Reggio Emilia today

Although the visit had not been announced in advance, several hundred people had gathered in the street opposite the school and began the chant of ‘Kate, Kate, Kate!’ and ‘Kate, we love you!’ as she arrived.

She was welcomed to the pre-school’s outdoor assembly area, taking a seat on a tree stump and saying: ‘Ciao a tutti!’ (Hello everybody) as the children introduced themselves to her one by one.

One girl said in English ‘My name is Rebecca.’

‘Well done!’ Kate told her, saying, with a flourish, ‘Caterina!’ when it came to her turn.

Told another child was also called Caterina, she said: ‘We’re the same!’

The children then told her about the outdoor space and what they like to do. Told the children wanted to spend the day having fun with her, she replied: ‘Perfetto!’

The school places particular emphasis on outdoor learning and environmental education and activities are chosen each morning during assembly by the children themselves.

The youngsters led the Princess to the pond, where Stefano Sturloni, ‘atelierista’ – or specialist teacher – for gardens and nature at the city’s Preschools and Infant-Toddler Centres Institution, showed them a tank containing newts.

Kate gamely joined the children in handling one, telling Stefano: ‘In most urban areas, even in central London, we have newts like this. It’s extraordinary, if you look and spend time, you realise how close it is to you.

‘David Attenborough says you have to be able to experience nature in order to protect it – it’s so true.’

Stopping at a spot where two little girls were painting the garden, she remarked: ‘It’s so nice for them to be able to stop and take time. Do they enjoy painting and art and drawing?’ She was told the children did it every day.

‘And they can be far more expressive when they do things outside,’ added Kate. ‘Nature itself is creative and free-flowing. It’s a teacher to us in so many ways.’

Crouching down to speak to another two girls who were drawing grasses and flowers, she asked ‘Posso vedere? Wow! Bellissima!’ (Can I see? Very beautiful!).

She spent some time looking at the grasses through a magnifying glass and encouraging the children to do the same, moving on after telling them: ‘Grazie mille, ciao!’

She joined another group who were modelling tree roots from clay to add to a display around a living tree nearby.

‘Can you teach me some Italian?’ she asked one boy.

‘Come stai?’ (How are you?) he asked her.

+24
View gallery

The Princess of Wales smiles during the second day of her visit to Italy this morning

+24
View gallery

The Princess of Wales at the ‘Salvador Allende’ Scuola dell’infanzia in Reggio Emilia today

+24
View gallery

The Princess of Wales is learning about education in nature in Reggio Emilia this morning

+24
View gallery

The Princess of Wales on her visit to ‘Salvador Allende’ Scuola dell’infanzia in Reggio Emilia

+24
View gallery

The Princess of Wales waves during the second day of her visit to Italy this morning

+24
View gallery

The Princess of Wales is learning about education in nature in Reggio Emilia this morning

+24
View gallery

Children wait for Kate at the ‘Salvador Allende’ Scuola dell’infanzia in Reggio Emilia today

Kate visits Italy

‘Bene, grazie mille,’ she replied, smiling. Another boy told her the word for ‘roots’ is radici, which she repeated. ‘I’ve learned a new word, thank you,’ she said.

She then rolled her own clay root, before adding it to the base of the tree.

Kate stopped to play some outdoor instruments with another group, including one girl in a wheelchair, who is hard of hearing, but can enjoy sound through vibrations.

Spotting another boy stroking the little girl’s forehead, she asked: ‘Is this your friend? Lucky her to have such lovely friends.’

As she made her way to the school’s exit, she commented on the opportunity to spend time in nature.

‘In the digital age that we’re living in it’s difficult not to forget that we are of nature and it’s important to connect to it. It’s a way to interact with a part of ourselves that we don’t get a chance to, often, in everyday life.’

Before leaving, the princess was presented with the first English copy of Stefano’s book about nature and learning, called ‘With Your Hearts Outside’.

Thanking him, she said: ‘I’m passionate about creating environments where love can flourish. It’s been a really inspiring visit. These gifts are so special, thank you!’

Outside, she met parents and grandparents who volunteer at the on-site allotments, then joined pupils and staff including the school’s cooks for a lively group photograph.

The group were reluctant to let her leave and children moved in for hugs and adults for selfies.

And before departing for her next engagement, Kate made a quick diversion to say hello to pupils from a neighbouring primary school, who had turned out in force, waving Union flags and shouting her name.

Annalisa Rabotti, Pedagogical coordinator for Reggio Emilia, who had escorted the princess on the visit, said she felt ‘honoured and very emotional’.

‘She’s a very special woman. She looks you in the eye and treats you as an equal. I was surprised and I’m very happy.’

She said the visit would help to spread the Reggio Emilia approach, adding: ‘I think she (Kate) saw the way in which teachers speak with and listen to the children. Everything begins with the children.’

Later, the princess said it was ‘inspiring’ to visit a centre where businesses donate material to help pre-school children with creative play – adding that it reminded her of children’s TV show Bob the Builder.

Visiting the Remida centre on her second day in Italy, she said: ‘There’s a popular character called Bob the Builder and he has a philosophy of ‘Reduce, reuse, recycle’. And you embrace that here.

‘It’s something as a mother and I feel as a family we do a lot is try to have at the back of our minds.’