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The Princess of Wales has voiced concern over the growing impact of smartphones and screens on family relationships. She believes that constant digital engagement is creating what she calls an “epidemic of disconnection.”

In an essay written with Harvard professor Robert Waldinger, Kate said that while technology promises to bring people closer, it often does the opposite. “Digital devices have become a constant distraction,” she wrote. “They take our attention away from the people sitting right beside us.”

She explained that when families spend time together but keep checking their phones, they lose real emotional connection. “We’re physically present but mentally absent,” Kate said, adding that this behavior weakens the bonds that hold families together.

Her essay, titled The Power of Human Connection in a Distracted World, highlights research showing that strong family relationships have lifelong benefits for both physical and mental health. She emphasized that love, warmth, and attention within families help children grow into emotionally stable adults.

However, she warned that modern life is moving in the wrong direction. Families are spending less time together, and people are becoming lonelier. “When we scroll through social media during dinner or check emails while playing with our children, we are withdrawing love and attention,” she said.

Kate also spoke about the challenge facing young people today. Children are growing up surrounded by digital screens, which she fears may harm their ability to build empathy and real friendships. “We’re raising a generation that is more connected online than ever before, but more isolated in real life,” she wrote.

The Princess and her husband, Prince William, have often talked about the importance of setting boundaries around technology. William has previously said that none of their children are allowed to have smartphones yet, as the couple wants them to enjoy a healthy, balanced childhood.

Through her Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, Kate continues to promote awareness about the emotional and social needs of young children. She believes that families must make a conscious effort to spend quality time together without distractions.

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