Like many modern-day parents, the Prince and Princess of Wales have openly shared their desire to reduce their children's screen time. William and Kate, who share Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, ten, and Prince Louis, seven, do allow their kids to use phones and tablets occasionally, but they prioritise face-to-face interactions in their home life.
Kate recently spoke about the dangers of screen time in an essay entitled The Power of Human Connection in a Distracted World. "While digital devices promise to keep us connected, they frequently do the opposite," the Princess wrote in the essay published earlier this month in collaboration with Prof Robert Waldinger from Harvard Medical School.
"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 said.
So how do William and Kate reduce screen time at home?
No phones
The Waleses have one non-negotiable rule at home – no mobile phones for their children. Speaking to actor Eugene Levy on his Apple TV+ show, The Reluctant Traveler, earlier this month, William revealed: "None of our children have any phones, which we're very strict about."
© InstagramWhile William and Kate have their own personal mobiles, they are rarely seen using them in public. During a visit to OnSide Youth Zone in Hammersmith and Fulham, London earlier this year, William spoke to a youngster who confessed to relentlessly scrolling. "The grown-ups are guilty of it too. We have got to be better at it, our phones, too. We spend ages on our phones," he said.
And during a visit to BAFTA's headquarters in London in 2022, William also admitted of his children: "At the moment it's trying to regulate the gaming... monitoring screen time. Got to be careful of that. They're fascinated by it. George particularly. He's more interested in it. The other two are a bit too small at the moment but they love the films. I adore film and gaming as well."
Family dinners
On the same Apple TV+ show with the Schitt's Creek actor, William also said the family prioritise shared mealtimes. When Eugene asked whether they all sit and eat together, the Prince said: "Yes absolutely, yes definitely. So, we sit and chat, it's really important."
© GettyPlaying sports
William elaborated on the kind of activities his children do, instead of being glued to devices. And sports play a big part in their school and home life. "Louis loves the trampoline, so he's obsessed with trampolining and actually Charlotte does a lot as well. As far as I can tell they just end up jumping up and down on the trampoline, beating each other up, most of the time. Apparently, there is an art to it.
"Charlotte does her netball as well and her ballet and so keeping them busy with sports and being outdoors is really important… George loves his football and his hockey."
© GettySpending time outdoors
Going hand-in-hand with sports is the family's love for nature. Kate has long banged the drum for spending time outdoors and several of their personal family photos and videos they have shared publicly show the Waleses climbing sand dunes, running through the woods, and playing on swings.
© Kensington PalaceShortly after publishing her essay about screen time, Kate also joined a stay-and-play session at a Home-Start centre in Oxford. Fellow parent Mariam Namakula, 30, said of the royal's visit: "She was enjoying herself with the kids and said 'the messier it is, the better the fun.' Kate was saying Charlotte enjoys the outdoors and doing activities."
Back in May 2018 in an open letter to support Children's Hospice Week, Kate wrote: "Spending quality time together is such an important aspect of family life and for me, as a mother, it is the simple family moments like playing outside together that I cherish." She has also previously spoken about Charlotte's love of going on "spider hunts".
Learning musical instruments
Another activity that keeps the royal children busy is music. Kate is a talented musician herself and plays the piano and the flute. As a child, she reached Grade 5 in both singing and music theory. The Princess has shown off her skills in public, making her debut in 2021 when she accompanied singer Tom Walker on the piano at her Together at Christmas carol concert. The song they performed was For Those Who Can't Be Here, which was particularly poignant given the global coronavirus pandemic at the time.
"Music was so important to me during the pandemic as I think it was to so many people too," Kate said in her introduction. A royal source added: "Playing the piano brought great comfort to her. She played a lot during lockdown."
It may come as no surprise then that her daughter Charlotte is following in her footsteps and learning piano. George is thought to play the guitar while Louis has drum lessons. Again on Eugene's TV show, William quipped: "They're trying to learn musical instruments. I'm not sure how successful we're being with that."
When screen time is allowed
Naturally, there are times when William and Kate indulge their children in a bit of screen time – such as when they're travelling. In summer 2022, Kate was spotted flying to Scotland with Charlotte, aged seven at the time, and Louis on a commercial flight. A TikTok user shared a video, revealing: "On a flight to Scotland, Kate Middleton, both kids, nanny and security 2 rows in front of me. Could get a private jet or helicopter but keeping it simple, flying economy. She even got up halfway through the flight to get her daughter's iPad. And yes, she was stunning, even gave me a smile while looking back at row behind her to talk to her son."
Is your child's screen time exceeding the daily limit?
William and Kate's parenting style is in line with the NHS and the WHO's recommended guidelines, which suggest no more than two hours of screen time per day for primary school-aged children. In September, a study conducted by Outdoor Toys found that five to 12-year-olds are spending at least three hours a day on screens, exceeding the recommended daily limit.
Alex Price, Product Expert at Outdoor Toys, noted: "Even as the evenings get darker and the weather wetter, outdoor play is vital for children's growth and development. It supports motor skills, immune health, sleep, mood, confidence, and curiosity. Parents should make sure screen time doesn't replace these benefits."
Alex shared his tips to avoid racking up the hours on devices – make the walk home from school fun by collecting leaves; schedule 20 minutes of outdoor evening play per day, even if it's after dinner; don't be put off by the rain and go jump in muddy puddles!
