Daily Pop Culture Scuttlebutt October 9, 2025
Daily pop culture scuttlebutt’s first story today is about Kate Middleton saying that paying attention to our phones, rather than our children, is bad. We have some shocking statistics to prove her case. The second story on today’s daily pop culture scuttlebutt is about Meghan Markle doing nice things for her friend Kelly Zajfen. The third story in the daily scuttlebutt today is about Prince William’s campaign to open up the Royals. He talked openly about Kate Middleton’s cancer diagnosis. This time, he talked about his parents’ mistakes. Do you think that Prince William will open up the monarchy when he becomes King?
Daily #1:Kate Middleton says phones make parents ‘mentally absent’
The Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, has a suggestion for parents: Please put down the phone. She speaks the truth. Kate collaborated with adult development researcher Robert Waldinger to warn that technology is contributing to an epidemic of disconnection that is hurting family relationships. Ironically, devices meant to keep us connected do the opposite, actually. She said in an essay on the Royal Foundation Centre for Early Childhood, “We sit together in the same room while our minds are scattered across dozens of apps, notifications, and feeds,’’ the authors wrote. “We’re physically present but mentally absent, unable to fully engage with the people right in front of us.’’
There is an element of truth to this. According to a presentation made at This Man is You, by the age of 6, children will spend more time getting electronic entertainment than they will in their lifetime talking with their father. To add insult to injury, parents have no idea what their children are looking at on their phones. However, children are substituting their electronic entertainment for advice they could have gotten from their parents. Can you imagine the cataclysmic effect of this?
Daily #2: Meghan Markle Praised by Longtime Friend for Her Caring and Nurturing Nature
Meghan Markle’s longtime friend Kelly McKee Zajfen gave some rare insight into the Duchess of Sussex’s “nurturing” nature. It was good to get this inside look. Zajfen’s son, George, died in 2022. He was just 9 years old when after suffered from both COVID-19 and viral meningitis. A sad mixture. Julian Zajfen founded the Alliance for Moms; he is Kelly Zajen’s husband. Meghan Markle has been nice and supportive of her close friend by attending several charities and joining Kelly at fundraising events. As an example, in April 2024, the duchess and her former “Suits” co-star Abigail Spencer attended Kelly’s Alliance of Moms charity event.
It is nice to see the Duchess of Sussex doing great service for her friend. Markle, 44, is a good person, as her actions speak louder than her words. According to Page Six of the New York Post, at the charity event, the three women wore a white shirt ($38) with the words “Love like a mother” in a bold red font. In a noteworthy event, Last October, the three friends (Meghan, Abigail, and Kelly) attended the Children’s Hospital LA Gala together.
Daily #3: Royal Insight: Prince William Opens Up About Kate Middleton’s Cancer in Heartfelt Talk
Things are going to change soon for Royal Watchers. Prince William, when he becomes King, said he is going to open things up. Early returns point to the fact that he is going to do just that. He talked about learning parenting lessons from the divorce of his parents, then-Prince Charles and Princess Dianna. Now he is opening up about his wife, Kate Middleton, and her cancer diagnosis.
In a refreshing bit of openness, he said on the The Reluctant Traveler, “I’d say 2024 was the hardest year that I’ve ever had. Trying to sort of balance protecting the children, Catherine, my father needs a bit of protection, but he’s, you know, he’s old enough to do that himself as well. But it’s important that my family feels protected and has the space to process a lot of the stuff that’s gone on last year, and that was tricky trying to do that and keep doing the job. But we all have challenges that come our way, and it’s important to keep going.”
Conclusion
Today’s scuttlebutt includes a first story about Kate Middleton saying that parents who spend too much time on their phones are mentally absent. She is correct. The second story on today’s daily pop culture scuttlebutt is about the Duchess of York, Meghan Markle, doing nice things for her friend who lost her 9-year-old son to an unbelievable combination of diseases. The third story in the daily scuttlebutt today is about Prince WilliamOpen things up for the Royals and talking about his wife’s cancer diagnosis.
