Sad news for the Princess of Wales. Young photographer Liz Hatton passed away on Wednesday, November 27, just weeks after she had the opportunity to meet Kate Middleton.
On October 2, Princess Kate hosted Hatton at Windsor Castle, coinciding with an investiture ceremony presided over by her husband, Prince William.
Liz was invited by the Prince of Wales to capture these special moments as part of his photographic “wish list.”
A touching photo of Princess Kate hugging Liz went viral after their meeting at the castle. It should be recalled that Kate had announced just a few weeks earlier that she had finished her chemotherapy treatment.
The young woman had been diagnosed in January with a desmoplastic small round cell tumor, a rare and aggressive form of cancer. According to the BBC, doctors gave her a prognosis of life ranging from six months to three years.
As the months passed, Liz decided to stop her treatment to enjoy the last moments of her life.
Her mother, Vicky Robyana, was the one who announced the sad news of her passing. On her X account, she wrote:
“Our incredible daughter Liz died in the early hours of this morning,” she wrote. “She remained determined to the last. Even yesterday, she was still making plans. We are so very proud of the kindness, empathy, and courage she has shown in the last year. She was not only a phenomenal photographer, she was the best human, and the most wonderful daughter and big sister we could have ever asked for. No one could have fought harder for life than she did. There is a gaping Liz-shaped hole in our lives that I am not sure how we will ever fill. We have so much gratitude to every single one of you, whether you offered to help, or liked or shared posts—you ensured Liz’s last two months were her very best. She flew high until the end.”
Liz Hatton and Kate Middleton
A day after receiving the sad news, Kate Middleton also spoke out to honor Liz’s memory.
On November 28, William and Kate posted an emotional message on their social media.
“We are so sorry to hear that Liz Hatton has sadly passed away. It was an honor to have met such a brave and humble young woman.”
“Our thoughts and prayers are with Liz’s parents Vicky and Aaron and her brother Mateo at this unimaginably difficult time.”
The couple signed the post with “W & C,” using the initials of their names to indicate that the message came directly from them.
We are so sorry to hear that Liz Hatton has sadly passed away. It was an honour to have met such a brave and humble young woman.
Our thoughts and prayers are with Liz’s parents Vicky and Aaron and her brother Mateo at this unimaginably difficult time.
W & C
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) November 28, 2024
In making the announcement of the death on November 27, Robyana asked people to share one of their daughter’s photos, either on social media or in person, using the hashtag #LizHatton as a tribute to her life and photographic work.
In addition, the family has asked for support to raise funds for desmoplastic small round cell tumor research through a GoFundMe page created by Robyana.