Kate Middleton Sounds the Alarm on Screen Time in a Powerful New Essay

When it comes to Kate Middleton, we know the causes that truly matter to her—mental health, early childhood development and nature, to name a few. And now, she’s deepening the conversation in a new essay titled The Power of Human Connection in a Distracted World.

On October 9, Kensington Palace shared an excerpt from the essay, which was co-written with Professor Robert Waldinger, director of the decades-long Harvard Study of Adult Development. Alongside a carousel of images showing the Princess of Wales, 43, interacting with children, the joint post with The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood read, “If you could invest in just one thing to help you and your family thrive, invest in the relationships you have with each other.”

The caption continued, “Children who are raised in environments rooted in love, safety and dignity are better able to develop the social and emotional scaffolding required to form healthy relationships, resolve conflict and grow into adults capable of building loving partnerships, families and communities themselves.”

And in a quote that feels especially timely, the Princess added,
“Look the people you care about in the eye and be fully there—because that is where love begins.”

The essay emphasizes that strong human connection—not success, productivity or staying constantly busy—is the true secret to happiness and health. But in a world dominated by screens and constant distractions, those relationships are harder to nurture, especially during early childhood. The takeaway? Real connection takes presence, attention and intentional time together.