Princess Kate Warned Her 'Bold' Essay 'Opens Her Up to Criticism': ‘You Don’t Work a 9-to-5’
Earlier this month, Kate Middleton swapped her royal diary for a writer’s desk, releasing an essay titled The Power of Human Connection in a Distracted World, co-authored with Harvard University professor Robert Waldinger. In it, the Princess of Wales warned that the ceaseless glow of our devices is fueling an 'epidemic of disconnection,' a modern malaise she fears could affect the young the most. It’s the kind of rallying cry that hits close to home for many and one that has now sparked a debate among royal watchers.
Royal commentators unpacked the Princess’s words on a recent episode of HELLO! ’s A Right Royal podcast. The hosts and guests, Andrea Caamano, Emily Nash, and The Telegraph's royal editor, Hannah Furness, found plenty to praise, but also a few potential pitfalls. Furness argued, “I hope it didn't come across as too much of a lecture, because she has opened herself up to criticism, and very obvious criticism.”
Her point was hardly a rebuke but more of a cautionary tale. Even well-intentioned advice tends to land differently when it comes from someone whose daily routine doesn’t include the typical 9-to-5 hustle. The experts noted that some might question whether the Princess can truly relate to the pressures of constant emails, demanding bosses, and relentless digital demands.
Nash stressed, “You don't work a 9-to-5 job, you don't have a demanding boss, and you don't need to constantly check your emails because someone else will tell you if there's something important.” Without dwelling on the issue further, Furness admitted, “I think it did give me a bit of a nudge, and I think it will give everybody a bit of a nudge.” And that may well have been Middleton’s intention all along.
No stranger to public scrutiny and not scared of 'bold' moves, the Princess appears to understand that taking a position on modern wellbeing, particularly in an age dominated by devices, inevitably invites mixed reception. Yet that didn’t stop her from, as Furness aptly described, choosing to “stick her neck out” on an issue she clearly sees as urgent. Nash praised the move as 'bold,' and indeed, for a royal often associated with decorum and diplomacy, putting her name to a critique of digital culture is definitely a modern act.
It is also a work that echoes her role through the Royal Foundation’s Centre for Early Childhood, where she has frequently underscored the importance of nurturing real-world connections and emotional development in children. “We sit together in the same room while our minds are scattered across dozens of apps, notifications, and feeds. We’re physically present but mentally absent, unable to fully engage with the people right in front of us,” she wrote in the piece published on the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood's website.