Overview

• The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood published The Power of Human Connection in a Distracted World on Thursday ahead of a visit to an Oxford early‑years charity.
• Kate co-authored the piece with Harvard’s Robert Waldinger, citing the Adult Development Study to show that the quality of close relationships predicts long-term health and happiness.
• The essay argues that smartphones and other devices create constant distraction, leaving people “physically present but mentally absent” and withdrawing the attention relationships require.
• It calls on parents to model presence for babies and young children, protect mealtimes and conversations, and invest in relationships from pregnancy to age five.
• Kensington Palace framed the publication and visit as part of her ongoing early‑years campaign, as Prince William recently said their three children do not have mobile phones.