Prince and Princess of Wales pay tribute to teenage photographer Liz Hatton after cancer death

Photo: © Instagram

The Prince and Princess of Wales have paid tribute to the "brave and humble" Liz Hatton.

The 17-year-old aspiring photographer passed away on Wednesday (27.11.24) morning after battling a rare and aggressive form of cancer, weeks after she met the royal couple at Windsor Castle, and Prince William and his wife Catherine have offered their "thoughts and prayers" to the teenager's family.

In a personal message shared to their Instagram Story, the couple wrote: "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 and C." (sic)

Liz was given between six months and three years to live after being diagnosed with desmoplastic small round cell tumour, but her mother, Vicky Roboyna, confirmed on Wednesday night that the teenager had sadly passed away.

She wrote: "Our incredible daughter Liz died in the early hours of this morning.

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 ever have 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 was invited to photograph an investiture after her mother shared the teenager's "photography bucket list" to X, with William hearing about the viral post through the London Air Ambulance Charity, of which he serves as patron.

She then had a private meeting with the couple, with Catherine - who announced last month she had completed her preventative chemotherapy treatment after undergoing abdominal surgery earlier in the year - photographed embracing Liz.

Speaking afterwards, Liz admitted seeing the royals had been a "massive shock".

She added to BBC Radio 4's 'Today' programme: "None of us were really expecting it necessarily — except for my little brother apparently!

“Talking to them was amazing ‘cause it was like talking to anyone, like just a normal person.

"There was no sort of grandeur about them, there was just humanity and kindness.”