Prince Harry and Prince William are on the same page about one of the biggest parenting problems in the digital age.
On Wednesday, October 29, the Duke of Sussex sat down with Hasan Minhaj to discuss the harms of social media for kids — an issue that he and Meghan Markle have been advocating for through their Parents' Network. At one point, Hasan asked Prince Harry what he’s going to do when his children — Prince Archie, 6, and Princess Lilibet, 4 — ask for a phone.
“[Meghan and I] talk about it a lot. Because of what we know now, we will be way more cautious and hesitant of allowing our kids to have access to social media,” he replied, adding that unfortunately, “so many parents don’t have that awareness.”
Harry, 41, added, “Having a phone for your kid is a very important thing… but the moment that you give them the gateway to everything else — kids will be kids.”
His sentiment echoed a similar comment by his estranged older brother Prince William for his and Princess Kate’s kids — Prince George, 12, Princess Charlotte, 10, and Prince Louis, 7.
During his appearance on Eugene Levy’s The Reluctant Traveler earlier this month, the Prince of Wales revealed, “None of our children have phones, which we’re very strict about.”
Instead, the young Wales siblings preoccupy themselves with outdoor activities, like trampoline jumping and netball.
Prince Harry further explained the reasoning behind the rule that he shares with his older brother, noting rather glumly, “Gone are the days of having your kid under your roof knowing that they’re safe.” They could be in their room scrolling on social media and “be in the deepest darkest thoughts.”
The solution is not an easy one given the ubiquity of social media and the internet in the digital age, from schoolwork to professional lives. Harry’s solution? Give the kids “old-school phones,” or “dumbphones,” instead of smartphones.
“Once your brain is properly formed, once you are starting to learn who you are,” says Prince Harry, that’s when they should have access to smartphones.
