Kate Middleton received a warm welcome from the people of Italy, but one young boy had his eye on the cameras!

The Princess of Wales, 44, arrived in Reggio Emilia on Wednesday, May 13, for the start of a two-day trip focused on early childhood development. She was welcomed in the Piazza Camillo Prampolini outside the Reggio Emilia Town Hall by a massive crowd of locals, who welcomed her to the country with cheers, signs and more.

Princess Kate knelt to chat with some of the children, speaking with them in Italian. According to the Daily Mail, she said, “I speak a bit of Italian. What is your name? I am Catarina,” using the Italian version of her first name, Catherine.

One particularly cheeky boy seized the opportunity to snap a perfect shot with the future queen. As Kate chatted with other youngsters, he looked directly at the camera and posed with a finger on his cheek.

Catherine, Princess of Wales meets children as she visits the Piazza Camillo Prampolini where she is welcomed to the city at Reggio Emilia

Kate Middleton meets local children in Reggio Emilia, Italy, on May 13, 2026.Samir Hussein/WireImage

The royal mother of three — who is nicknamed the “Children’s Princess” for her affectionate way with kids — lit up when she caught sight of a baby.

Catherine, Princess of Wales meets children as she visits the Piazza Camillo Prampolini where she is welcomed to the city at Reggio Emilia

Kate Middleton meets with local children in Reggio Emilia, Italy, on May 13, 2026.Samir Hussein/WireImage

Despite already being a mom to Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 11, and Prince Louis, 8, Kate has said in the past that meeting young children makes her “very broody.”

“William always worries about me meeting under-1-year-olds. I come home saying, ‘Let’s have another one,’ ” she admitted during a 2022 tour of Denmark.

Catherine, Princess of Wales greets a baby in the crowd as she visits the Piazza Camillo Prampolini

Kate Middleton meets a baby in Reggio Emilia, Italy, on May 13, 2026.Samir Hussein/WireImage

The majority of Princess Kate’s trip is focused on learning more about the unique Reggio Emilia approach to early childhood education as her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood expands internationally.

A local teacher tells PEOPLE she was glad to meet Princess Kate and explained, “I shook her hand and thanked her for coming here and said it was a huge honor for us. She said it was a huge honor for her to see the city.”

“I have followed her since her wedding, and to think she came to my hometown is crazy. I think she is a very down-to-earth kind of person, and that shows when you speak to her,” says the educator. “When she started her early childhood project, I always thought that sooner or later she would come here because it’s been a staple in our community since the Second World War. I can see why she came to Reggio Emilia because her vision is so similar to ours.”