Kate Middleton pays tribute to 17-year-old photographer Liz Hatton who died of rare cancer

LONDON, UNITED KINGDOM: Kate Middleton and Prince William have honored the memory of 17-year-old photographer Liz Hatton, describing her as "brave and humble" following her tragic death from a rare form of cancer.

In a heartfelt social media post, William and Kate expressed their condolences as they wrote, “We are so sorry to hear that Liz Hatton has sadly passed away."

Who was Liz Hatton?

Liz Hatton, from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, was a young photographer.

The teenager lost her battle with desmoplastic small round cell tumor in the early hours of Wednesday morning, November 27, her mother, Vicky Robayna, announced.

"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," read William and Kate's tribute.

Liz Hatton's 'dream' royal encounter

Liz Hatton had been invited to Windsor Castle as part of her bucket list, where she captured moments of Prince William during an investiture ceremony.

The experience led to a private meeting with the Princess of Wales, who embraced the teenager and discussed their shared love of photography.

Hatton described the encounter as a “dream” moment.

Middleton had recently completed her chemotherapy treatment, adding a deeply personal connection to their meeting.

Liz Hatton's family pay tribute to a 'phenomenal photographer'

Liz Hatton’s mother paid tribute to her daughter’s resilience and talent, saying, “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,” stated Robayna.

She also reflected on the joy Hatton found in her final months, crediting the support from those who helped her fulfill her dreams.

The late teenage photographer had aspired to have her photos published and achieved widespread recognition after her royal encounter, according to Mirror.

"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," read Robayna's tribute.

Call to action in Liz Hatton’s memory

Vicky Robayna urged supporters to share one of Liz Hatton’s photos in her memory and to back the family’s mission to fund research into desmoplastic small round cell tumor, a cancer with no dedicated charity in the UK.

"Let’s make this the last item on her bucket list and make sure other families don’t face a similar fate," she stated.