Princess Catherine urges focus on ‘human connection’ in early childhood

Princess Catherine emphasised the importance of "human connection" in early childhood development during a visit to a charity in Oxford, England. Photo / Kirsty Wigglesworth, AFP

Britain’s Princess Catherine has hailed the importance of “human connection” in early childhood development after her husband Prince William revealed their three children have not been given phones.

In a visit to a charity in Oxford, southern England, the princess spoke to volunteers and families on Friday about how strong connections between parents and young children “lay the foundation for lifelong social and emotional skills”, Kensington Palace said in a press release.

Coinciding with her trip, Kate, as she is popularly known, penned an essay for the Royal Foundation Centre of Early Childhood, which she founded in 2021 to research and raise awareness about early years’ development.

“The evidence is clear: 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 Princess of Wales wrote.

Catherine's essay highlighted concerns about technology causing an "epidemic of disconnection". Photo / Kirsty Wigglesworth, AFP

In the essay written in collaboration with professor Robert Waldinger, director of the Harvard Study of Adult Development, she also raised concerns about the role of phones and other new technology in creating an “epidemic of disconnection”.

In a rare interview aired last week, heir to the throne Prince William revealed the couple have banned phones for their three children, George, 12, Charlotte, 10, and Louis, 7.

The family “sit and chat, it’s really important. None of our children have any phones, which we’re very strict about”, William told Hollywood star Eugene Levy in an interview.

The prince also said 2024 was the “hardest year” of his life, during which Kate and his father, King Charles III, were diagnosed with cancer.

In remission since January 2025, Kate has slowly returned to public life, focusing on events for causes she champions, including work related to early childhood.

Her visit to the Home-Start family support charity on Friday was part of her foundation’s rollout of an animated series about the importance of developing family connections early on.

“This is not just about creating a more loving environment for our children. It’s about creating a more loving world,” Kate wrote on the foundation’s website.

“And that begins with a simple, deliberate act... Look the people you care about in the eye and be fully there.”

– Agence France-Presse