Kate Middleton, the Princess of Wales discussed the harmful impact of screentime and technology on family life.
The wife of Prince William wrote a new essay titled, The Power of Human Connection in a Distracted World with Professor Robert Waldinger from Harvard University, which was posted on the website for her Centre for Early Childhood on Thursday, October 9, 2025.
In the essay, Kate noted that phones are a "distraction, fragmenting our focus" and fueling an epidemic of disconnection.
She added, “While new technology has many benefits, we must also acknowledge that it plays a complex and often troubling role in this epidemic of disconnection."
"Our smartphones, tablets, and computers have become sources of constant distraction, fragmenting our focus and preventing us from giving others the undivided attention that relationships require," Princess Kate wrote further.
Adding, "We sit together in the same room while our minds are scattered across dozens of apps, notifications, and feeds. We’re physically present but mentally absent, unable to fully engage with the people right in front of us."
The Princess of Wales continues in the essay, "When we check our phones during conversations, scroll through social media during family dinners, or respond to emails while playing with our children, we’re not just being distracted; we are withdrawing the basic form of love that human connection requires."
It is pertinent to mention that Kate Middleton and Prince William, who are parents to Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis, are "very strict" rule when it comes to the use of smartphone.
"We sit and chat, it’s really important. None of our children have any phones, which we’re very strict about," the Prince of Wales shared previously in an interview on The Reluctant Traveler.