The Princess of Wales has urged people to “prioritise love” in a heartfelt essay reflecting on her recent trip to Reggio Emilia.
And in the week in which the UK government banned social media for the under 16s, she makes a powerful and direct call for more “genuine human connection” in a digital world.
She writes: “Last week, a parent at my children’s school asked me if we could all do just one thing, what would it be? My answer is simple: to prioritise love.
“I’m not talking about overly sentimental and romantic gestures, but love that is quiet and unconditional, built on time and patience: the joy found in ordinary things; the everyday magic of life itself.
“This is how we stay well, remain connected to our inner selves and create the lasting relationships that nourish us throughout life. If we can surround children with nurturing, loving environments, we can help them build the human capabilities they need to thrive in the world today.”
Views on screen time
Sharing her essay along with four previously unseen images from her visit to Italy, Kate, whose children Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis are not allowed phones, also touched on the prevalence of screens in our children’s lives.
“In an increasingly digitalised world, where so much of life is mediated through screens, the need for genuine human connection has never been greater,” she writes. “Many of us yearn to reconnect with ourselves, with others, and the natural world.
© Alice GreenfieldPrincess Kate connects with a child at the Anna Frank preschool in Reggio Emilia
“I believe that connection grounds us. It brings us back to our sense of self, to the present moment, to what is real and felt rather than abstract and distant. By spending time in nature or being creative, we can nurture the very skills and emotions that cannot be digitised: awareness, empathy, humility, and above all, love.”
The Princess points to the fact that these skills can be learned from a young age and should be protected throughout our lives.
“These foundational qualities help us relate to others, understand our place in the world, and ultimately find meaning in life. All of them echo a way of being we knew instinctively in childhood, marked by openness, curiosity and emotional immediacy.”
Kate’s groundbreaking trip to Italy
Her essay was prompted by her recent visit to Italy, where she immersed herself in the Reggio Emilia method – a framework for raising children which emphasises the importance of the people and environment surrounding a child, the need for attuned and attentive caregivers and nature as the “third teacher”.
© Alice GreenfieldPrincess Kate with children from the Salvador Allende preschool in Reggio Emilia
Kate writes: “Children always give me hope. Their natural openness, their curiosity about the simplest of things, and their ability to wonder, dream and play remind me of the very best qualities of humanity.
“The children I met on my recent trip to Reggio Emilia radiated such qualities. Their innate ability to connect and communicate in all sorts of different ways made me feel immediately welcome, as they accepted a complete stranger with confidence and joy.”
Highlighting the importance of nature and creativity in helping us to ground us, she adds: “In a world that can often feel fast-paced and fragmented, it is important to consider the environments in which children learn and develop…
“By allowing children to feel connected from an early age, we can help them carry that sense of balance into adulthood. If healing later in life is about rediscovering our most important connections, then perhaps the real task is to ensure that they are never lost in the first place.”
© Alice GreenfieldCuddles for Princess Kate from children in Reggio Emilia, Italy
Kate’s global mission
The Princess wants to lead a “global conversation” about early childhood, according to aides, and plans to make further overseas visits to put it on the international agenda.
Christian Guy, Executive Director of The Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, said she wants the issue to be “treated with the same urgency and sense of mission as other global challenges like climate change.”
He added: “The Centre for Early Childhood is setting out on a bold new global mission to work with organisations around the world, to make this ambition a reality. This essay gives a real insight into how passionately HRH feels about the unique importance of early childhood and its ability to shape society, which is at the heart of all that we do at The Centre for Early Childhood.”