Kate warns too much screen time is creating an 'epidemic of disconnection' and damaging family life

In an essay written in collaboration with Prof Robert Waldinger from Harvard Medical School, Catherine said technology is designed to create connections but often does the opposite.

The Princess said smartphones have become a "constant distraction, fragmenting our focus", causing families to spend less time together.

"We're physically present but mentally absent, unable to fully engage with the people right in front of us," she added.

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The Princess of Wales stressed the importance of creating strong connections between people, especially within the family unit.

But her essay, titled The Power of Human Connection in a Distracted World, argues the overuse of technologies like smartphones and social media is stopping these connections from being formed.

"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.

It comes just days after Prince William told Apple TV the couple’s children are allowed to have smartphones.

"We're raising a generation that may be more 'connected' than any in history while simultaneously being more isolated, more lonely, and less equipped to form the warm, meaningful relationships that research tells us are the foundation of a healthy life," the essay concludes.