Kate Middleton and Prince William are mourning the loss of Liz Hatton, the teenage cancer patient who inspired the royals after meeting her in October. Hatton passed away on Wednesday at the age of 17 after a courageous battle with a rare form of cancer. She and her family had the opportunity to meet the Prince and Princess of Wales at Windsor Castle on October 2, where they helped fulfill part of the teen’s photography “bucket list” dream.
On Thursday, William and Kate, both 42, shared an emotional statement on their social media accounts to pay tribute to Hatton. “We are deeply saddened to hear that Liz Hatton has passed away,” they wrote. “It was a privilege to meet such a brave and humble young woman.” They continued, “Our thoughts and prayers are with Liz’s parents Vicky and Aaron, and her brother Mateo, during this incredibly difficult time.” The royals signed their post “W & C,” indicating a more personal and direct message from them.
Kate and Hatton made headlines worldwide after the future queen shared a photo of their heartfelt hug during their October 2 meeting. Just three weeks prior, Princess Kate announced she was “cancer free” and had completed her chemotherapy treatment, which began after being diagnosed with an undisclosed form of cancer in March. Hatton received her cancer diagnosis in January, discovering she had an aggressive desmoplastic small round cell tumor. According to the BBC, doctors gave her a prognosis of six months to three years to live.
William and Kate invited Hatton to Windsor Castle to photograph an investiture ceremony, where members of the royal family honor individuals for their outstanding achievements. Hatton’s mother, Vicky Robyana, shared the heartbreaking news of her daughter’s death on Wednesday in a post on X. “Our incredible daughter Liz passed away in the early hours of this morning. She remained determined to the last. Even yesterday, she was still making plans,” Robyana wrote. “We are so very proud of the kindness, empathy, and courage she has shown in the last year.”
Hatton’s invite to photograph the investiture ceremony at Windsor Castle came after Robyana made an appeal on social media for any “photography-based opportunities” that could “create a lifetime of memories” for her daughter and help complete her “photography bucket list” in the time she had left. Kate, an “enthusiastic amateur photographer” and patron of The Royal Photographic Society, and Prince William shared photos of their meeting with Liz on social media. “A pleasure to meet with Liz at Windsor today. A talented young photographer whose creativity and strength have inspired us both,” the pair said. “Thank you for sharing your photos and story with us. ❤️ W&C.”
Hatton posted her personal thoughts about the day on Instagram. “Such lovely, genuine, and kind people, I’m over the moon that my family and I had this experience,” the teenager wrote on her Instagram story under a photo of herself hugging Princess Catherine. Hatton further discussed her experience meeting the royals the following day during an interview with BBC Radio 4. “Talking to them was amazing because it was like talking to anyone, like just a normal person,” she said. “There was no grandeur about them, just humanity and kindness.”
Hatton’s mother has asked that people remember her daughter by sharing one of her photos, “on your social media, or in real life, however you can.” “Let’s let her go out with a bang,” Robyana wrote on X. She asked anyone posting on social media to use the hashtag #LizHatton. The family has also called on the public to help fund research into desmoplastic small round cell tumor. “Whether you can share, donate, or raise funds – please be our village one more time,” Robyana added. She also linked a GoFundMe page she created to raise funds for research into the rare cancer. “Let’s make this the last item on her bucket list and ensure other families don’t face a similar fate,” she concluded.
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