Princess Kate talked about the effects excessive screen time has on family life and bonds.
In an essay written in collaboration with Professor Robert Waldinger from Harvard Medical School, Kate penned, "While digital devices promise to keep us connected, they frequently do the opposite."
The Princess of Wales has warned that an overload of smartphones and computer screens is creating an "epidemic of disconnection" that disrupts family life.
Kate said that an excess of smartphones and screen time are causing disruption in the time families spend together and have become a "constant distraction, fragmenting our focus".
"We're physically present but mentally absent, unable to fully engage with the people right in front of us," the mother-of-three shared in the essay that's part of her early years education campaign.
The princess says that research evidence shows the importance of creating healthy and warm relationships within families and between people, with lifelong benefits for physical and mental health.
In the essay titled The Power of Human Connection in a Distracted World, she warns that social trends now are leaving more people feeling lonely and isolated.
"When we check our phones during conversations, scroll through social media during family dinners, or respond to e-mails while playing with our children, we're not just being distracted, we are withdrawing the basic form of love that human connection requires," she wrote.
She called the immense use of smartphones and screen time a severe challenge for today's children, who are in a "world immersed in digital technology".
The headline-making essay came after her husband, Prince William, revealed during his The Reluctant Traveler appearance that none of their three children are allowed to have smartphones.
In her essay published on the website of the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, Catherine said that children need to be encouraged to develop social and emotional skills, which will help them throughout their lives.
On Thursday, October 9, the princess discussed some of these issues on a visit to the Home-Start centre in Oxford, a charity which supports families and their young children.
The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood was launched in 2021, with the aim of raising awareness and gathering research evidence about the importance of children's first years.
