Her warm embrace Kate Middleton with the 17-year-old photographer who died from cancer but also the heartbreaking message of the Princess of Wales made the rounds of the internet.
Liz Hatton, 17, who lost her battle with cancer after 10 months last week, touched people’s hearts when he was photographed with Kate Middleton at Windsor Castle last October.
Meeting Kate was enough to open doors for her and give her the opportunity to photograph celebrities on the red carpet at the Royal Variety Show and collaborate with famous British photographer Rankin on a fashion shoot.
Speaking for the first time since losing her daughter, Victoria Robayna, 43, said:
“Liz was independent and loved life to the hilt, which is exactly how she would have wanted it to be. We couldn’t have asked for a better way for Liz.”
The family met the Prince and Princess of Wales when Liz was invited to Windsor to photograph a ceremony hosted by William and to her surprise, she was asked to have tea with the couple.
Her mother said: “All any parent wants is to see their child’s dreams come true, and the Prince and Princess of Wales played an important role in making that happen.”
He added: “Liz’s last two months with us have been the happiest we’ve ever seen her, and that’s largely down to their kindness – we really can’t thank them enough.”
“Prior to that day at Windsor Castle, Liz had some opportunities, but the meeting really made her dreams come true.”
The young photographer was diagnosed with desmoplastic small round cell tumor less than a year ago, and her creativity and courage have inspired many.
But she was determined not to let that stop her from pursuing her dream of becoming a photographer.
Instead of worrying about the future, Liz created a wish list and set about making it happen.
Word of her plans reached William and she was invited to photograph the ceremony. Much to her surprise, she was asked to accompany the royal couple to tea along with her mother Victoria, her stepfather Aaron and her brother Mateo.
Liz was pictured cuddling up to Kate, just weeks after it was revealed the princess had completed chemotherapy. The two discussed their shared love of photography.
Victoria said: “Liz and Kate discussed their favorite photographers, cameras, the things they like to photograph and how photography can be an escape from life. Liz showed Kate her camera and they both just enjoyed talking about something they love and share a passion for.”
“Liz loved how down-to-earth Kate and William were – there was no pretense or sophistication, she clicked with them straight away and they clicked with her. We couldn’t have asked them to be kinder or more wonderful at any point.”
The emotional conversation with the 17-year-old’s brother
Victoria, from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, also revealed an emotional conversation between the royal couple and Liz’s little brother Mateo, eight.
She said: “When we met the prince and princess, little Mateo had difficulty talking to new people.
They really went out of their way to make Mateo feel as important as Liz, and by the end, he was talking to them about his favorite teddy bear – that meant everything to Liz.”
“Liz wasn’t afraid of dying, but she was afraid of leaving her brother behind, so she wanted to create memories with him that he would have for the rest of his life. The prince and princess made that happen.”
The meeting in Windsor catapulted Liz, who started taking photographs in the sixth grade, to sudden fame.
He went on to photograph comedian Michael McIntyre, circus performers, the Royal Ballet and models for the Storm agency.
The inspirational teenager also spent two days with Los Angeles-based portrait photographer David Suh, who traveled from the US to work with her.
Her project culminated in her personal photography exhibition in London, attended by palace staff. Just 6 days later, Liz passed away – just 10 months after her diagnosis.
Despite her pain, Victoria tries to keep alive the one last night she spent with her daughter. He said: “Liz went to watch her brother swim at his first training session at a local swimming club to make sure he had adapted well.
She was so proud – he was thrilled with how much he liked it and she was thrilled because she enjoyed it. Afterwards we spent a quiet evening at home.’
“Liz and Aaron were sitting on her bed watching Heartstopper, a show she loved – and I was sitting on the floor wrapping Christmas presents.”
“Before she fell asleep, we told her we loved her and she fell asleep.”
Liz’s final wish was to improve treatments for DSRCT (desmoplastic small round cell tumor) so she decided to donate her body to the University of Glasgow’s medical department.
Saying goodbye was a bittersweet moment for Victoria. “It gives us all comfort to know that he’s doing well and that somehow he’s still here, but it’s just as hard that he’s not here with us,” she said.
Liz left strict instructions to be cremated because she hates worms and insects and for her ashes to become a Jellycat toy. Victoria explained: “It means we can still hug her. She was sure it wouldn’t be one of her Jellycats because she wouldn’t want them to suffer, so it had to be a new one. Mateo will choose it.”
The family have launched a fundraiser to pay for research into a cure for DSRCT – which affects just 12 people in the UK each year. Victoria added: “We are determined to make her proud.”