Liz Hatton, the terminally ill teenage photographer who inspired the Princess of Wales, Kate Middleton, has passed away. She was 17 and had been suffering from a rare cancer. A picture of Liz hugging Kate at Windsor Castle went viral after she was invited to take photos at an investiture in October. The image was shared on the couple's social media accounts, with the caption: "A pleasure to meet with Liz at Windsor today. A talented young photographer whose creativity and strength have inspired us both. Thank you for sharing your photos and story with us. W&C."
Liz’s photography bucket list was started in January after she was given between six months and three years to live by her doctors. Her mother had written on X (formerly Twitter) about Liz’s bucket list. She stated, "Liz is 16 and lives to take photographs. She has a rare and aggressive cancer, which doctors have told her means she has between 6 months and 3 years to live. We hope every day for a lifetime for her, but if we can't achieve that, we hope to create a lifetime of memories. If we can make even one of her photography bucket list goals happen, she will be beyond delighted." It had caught the attention of Prince William and she was invited to Windsor Castle.
Some of the photography experiences on Liz's list included — "Photograph the rehearsal of a major musical," "Have photographs published in as many magazines as possible," and "Take photographs of the catwalk at London Fashion Week," among others.
Kate, who recently completed chemotherapy treatment following an unexpected cancer diagnosis earlier this year, was deeply moved by Liz’s strength and spirit.
Kerry Reeves-Kneip, Director of Communications at Sarcoma UK in a statement said, "It is with profound sadness that we learn of the death of Liz Hatton, a talented young photographer who touched many hearts and whose life was tragically cut short by sarcoma. At Sarcoma UK, we are deeply moved by her story and the courage she demonstrated in facing this challenging disease." He also added, "We were privileged to have met Liz and her mother, working with them to share her powerful story and raise awareness about the impact of sarcoma. To work with them was a humbling reminder of the strength, resilience, and hope that can emerge even in the most challenging circumstances. Our collaboration to bring her story to the press was not just about raising awareness, but about humanising the experience of young people facing rare and aggressive cancers."