'I visited same Italian city as Princess Kate - one thing suddenly made sense'
A journalist who studied at the British Institute in Florence -just as Princess Catherine did when she was younger
A journalist who undertook the same journey to Florence as the Princess of Wales has discussed her experiences of the city.
Melissa Twigg revealed that, like the future Queen in the year 2000, she spent the opening months of her gap year at the British Institute in Florence.
After her visit to the renowned tourist destination, Melissa has penned an account of some of the sights she encountered and her experiences, including how profoundly affected she was by certain paintings at the Uffizi Gallery and Accademia Gallery, reports the Mirror.
Writing in the Telegraph, Melissa said: "While the Uffizi Gallery and the Accademia Gallery were always reasonably busy, we often had smaller institutions such as the Pitti Palace, the Bargello and the Medici Chapels almost to ourselves.
"And even though I was a rather silly 18-year-old, I do remember being deeply moved by some of the paintings. I'm not surprised the Princess later chose to read history of art at the University of St Andrews."
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Melissa's remarks emerge as the Princess of Wales embarks on a global initiative to attempt to revolutionise early years development for children.
Today (May 13), Catherine touches down in Italy, particularly in the Reggio Emilia region, on a fact-finding expedition for her Centre for Early Childhood that will entail discovering more about the Reggio Emilia Approach to childhood development, concentrating on its capacity for self-development.
This solo trip marks Catherine's first since her cancer diagnosis in February 2024, which led to a gradual and carefully managed return to royal duties. In January 2025, it was confirmed that she had gone into remission, though her recuperation has continued at a steady pace.
The visit represents a landmark moment for Catherine and, according to former royal correspondent Jennie Bond, signals a significant shift in her standing within the Royal Family.
Speaking to the Mirror, Jennie explained: "This is certainly a welcome milestone in Catherine's journey to full recovery, and the King will be delighted. He undoubtedly trusts her implicitly to represent the Royal Family both at home and abroad."
Jennie noted that pride for Catherine would be felt not only by the King, who has faced his own battle with cancer in recent years, but equally by her husband, Prince William.
She explained: "She has a star quality that no other royal can bring to an occasion. And that's a valuable asset for the monarchy. William will be equally pleased, and proud, to see his wife undertake an official solo trip abroad - it speaks volumes about her growing self-confidence after such a devastating health scare."
Jennie further suggested that, should Catherine feel "comfortable" following this solo engagement, it could well pave the way for additional overseas visits in the future.
She said: "If she feels comfortable about it, this visit will no doubt be the gateway to further official trips overseas... But Catherine has made it clear that her health and her family still come first...so we shall all just have to be patient."
