Kate visits London university as she prepares for return to royal foreign tours

The Princess of Wales is carrying out a visit to the University of East London to mark the latest stage of her work on early years care.

Kate arrived at the institution on Wednesday afternoon, with the engagement coming on the same day as news of her first overseas royal tour since her cancer diagnosis.

The princess is heading to Italy next week on a two-day solo working trip with her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, travelling to the city of Reggio Emilia.

The European visit is a major milestone for the future queen and her first extended official foreign trip in nearly three-and-a-half years.

Kate, who wore her hair down and was dressed in a camel-coloured wide-leg trouser-suit, is meeting families with babies and young children at the university to discuss new research into early years and the importance of having a trusted network of professionals.

Her visit also marked the launch of the Centre for Early Childhood’s new guide for people working with babies, young children and their families.

In the coming months, the centre will work with early years leaders to embed the understanding into entry-level training and ongoing professional development.