Actor Joseph Fiennes has followed one strict family rule since his daughters were born: Breakfast, lunch and dinner together every day, with no phones or devices at the table |

Joseph Fiennes has followed a strict family dinner rule since his two daughters were born; the family eats together every day, with phones and other devices kept away from the table. The 55-year-old actor, who lives in London with his Spanish wife Maria Dolores Diéguez and their daughters, aged 16 and 14, says shared meals have remained a constant part of family life. Fiennes told The Guardian that the family has eaten breakfast, lunch and supper together every day since the girls were born. They sit at the table and talk, with “no devices”. The rule is part of his wider approach to limiting his daughters’ exposure to technology and social media.

Why Joseph Fiennes has made device-free family meals a daily rule since his daughters were born

For Fiennes, sitting down together is not an occasional family tradition but a routine he says has continued since his daughters were born. The actor told The Guardian that his family gathers for every meal, including breakfast, lunch and supper. At the table, they talk without devices. The practice is one of several boundaries he has established around technology at home, particularly as his daughters have grown into their teenage years. Fiennes said his daughters, now 16 and 14, are allowed on social media only when he permits it, describing himself as the person who controls their access.

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How Joseph Fiennes limits phones and social media as his daughters grow into teenagers

The device-free meals form part of a much broader approach to technology in the Fiennes household. He said his daughters are on social media only when he allows them to be and that he does not permit phones in their bedrooms after a certain time. Fiennes described managing screen time as a daily struggle, particularly because children are surrounded by technology and the influence of major tech companies. He has also spoken about the difficulty of saying no when his daughters ask for their phones back. His concerns extend beyond the dinner table to the wider effect of social media on young people.

Why Joseph Fiennes says parenting has become harder because of technology and social media

Fiennes considers parenting one of the toughest jobs, alongside the roles he has previously joked are particularly difficult: prime minister and England football coach. He argued that parents are now competing with technology companies for their children’s attention and expressed concern about social media’s influence on young people. He called social media “the great manipulation” and criticised the way businesses target children online. His comments came while discussing his own daughters and the strict boundaries he has established around their devices. For Fiennes, the rules at home are an attempt to protect time for family interaction while limiting the influence of technology during childhood.

How Joseph Fiennes’ childhood shaped his approach to family life and raising his daughters

Fiennes’ own childhood was very different from the technology-filled environment his daughters are growing up in. He recalled an itinerant upbringing in a large family, with long periods spent outdoors and little connection to modern devices. He described roaming freely for hours, playing outside and spending time in nature. He has since raised his daughters with his wife between Spain and London, including family walks and sections of the Camino de Santiago. The family’s shared meals provide another daily point of connection, with Fiennes maintaining the same breakfast, lunch and supper routine since the girls were born.