The teenage cancer patient hugged by the Princess of Wales has told of her shock at meeting the royal – and revealed that they spoke about their shared love of photography.
Liz Hatton, 16, who yesterday warmed the future King and Queen’s hearts after being invited by Prince William to photograph an investiture he was holding at Windsor Castle, told Mail Online that she had ‘no idea’ she would also be meeting the couple afterwards.
The brave schoolgirl from Harrogate, Yorkshire, who is battling a rare and extremely aggressive form of the disease, described it as being beyond her ‘wildest imagination’ – and revealed she hadn’t even considered including meeting royalty on her ‘bucket list’.
The talented amateur photographer drew up a wish list of events to snap after being diagnosed in January – and told that she could have between six months and three years to live.
‘Of course I didn’t expect anything like this to happen – I didn’t even expect to be able to fulfil any of my original bucket list – never mind additions like this that were so far beyond our wildest imagination,’ she said.
The teenage cancer patient hugged by the Princess of Wales has told of her shock at meeting the royal – and revealed that they spoke about their shared love of photography
‘The day was truly incredible. I was practically shell shocked every other minute as they told us what we were going to be doing, especially so when the Prince and Princess walked into the room.
‘So I am beyond honoured to have had this experience and very thankful that my family could join me and experience it as well.
‘The Prince and Princess were very kind and honest, there was nothing to suggest that they were trying to be superior or grand they were just genuine, real, kind people.
‘It was great to talk to Princess Catherine about photography because I know she loves it to and it is always great to talk about what you love or enjoy, and of course photography is my passion. ‘
Elsewhere, she joked the experience of meeting the Princess of Wales was ‘mind-blowing’.
The meeting on Wednesday came about – her mother Vicky Robayna, explained – after someone working for the London Air Ambulance charity, of which Prince William is patron, spotted a social media post she had put up on behalf of her daughter earlier this year asking for help in completing her ‘bucket list’ – such a photographing behind the scenes of a West End show and film set.
‘They then got in touch with the Palace who invited her in June but couldn’t make the date because she was having chemo those days,’ she told the Mail.
‘But they were really, really lovely and said not to worry, they would try again. That invitation was to take photos of the investiture, we knew nothing about meeting the Prince and Princess. She was very excited about it all anyway.
‘They kept in touch and asked a couple of weeks ago if she could make October 2. We said absolutely she could! We set off just thinking she was going to take photos of the investiture and then ended up meeting the prince and princess and spent about half an hour chatting to them. Which was truly incredible.’
Liz Hatton, 16, who yesterday warmed the future King and Queen’s hearts after being invited by Prince William to photograph an investiture he was holding at Windsor Castle, told Mail Online that she had ‘no idea’ she would also be meeting the couple afterwards
The brave schoolgirl from Harrogate, Yorkshire, who is battling a rare and extremely aggressive form of the disease, described it as being beyond her ‘wildest imagination’ – and revealed she hadn’t even considered including meeting royalty on her ‘bucket list’. Pictured with her little brother
Mrs Robayna, who was at the meeting along with her husband Aaron, Liz’s step-father, and her younger brother, Mateo, eight, said her daughter and Catherine spent ‘lots of time talking about photography’.
‘She was really lovely and asked Liz lots of questions about things she might like to photograph, which was really kind of her,’ she added.
‘They didn’t speak about their health. Liz is very keen to say that she is not defined by her cancer. So they spent time talking about the things they enjoyed. The Princess asked lots of lovely questions, in fact they were both really good, particularly at including our little boy in the conversation. They were such lovely, kind, genuine people. ‘
Kensington Palace later posted pictures of the meeting on their social media accounts along with images that Liz had taken on the day and a personal message from the couple saying how moved they had been.
It is the first time that the princess has been picture since she announced she was planning a slow and measured return to work following her own cancer diagnosis in February.
She announced that she had completed a course of preventative chemotherapy last month but warned that she still had a long road to recovery ahead.
Mrs Robayna added: ‘We found out when we got there [to Windsor] that Prince William was going to come and say hello to her after she had taken the photos. And that was all we knew until they both walked into the room. We had no idea what was happening until it did.
Photography has been along held passion for the teenager who save up to buy her first camera at the age of ten and had hoped to pursue a career in the field. Liz and her family pictured with the Prince and Princess of Wales
‘At least we couldn’t get nervous. It was the best surprise ever. They couldn’t have done it more beautifully. I think we would have been utterly terrified if we had known beforehand. But there was no need. They were so lovely and so kind and so genuine.’
While the memory of that day will remain with the whole family forever, Liz was, she said, particularly proud of being the only person allowed in the room to actually photograph William handing out honours to the likes of cyclist Mark Cavendish.
She said: ‘Liz felt so honoured and for her being able to take those photos and them to then publish those photos means as much as meeting the prince and princess.
‘One of the big things Liz wanted to achieve with her bucket list is for people to see her work. And they have accomplished that with bells on. Last time we looked there were 50,000 likes and rising for her photos. We could never have even dreamt that would be the case, ever.’
Photography has been along held passion for the teenager who save up to buy her first camera at the age of ten and had hoped to pursue a career in the field.
‘It has been a massive passion for her ever since. She would say it’s definitely helped her get through the treatment as it’s given her something to look forward to,’ she explained.
‘We have planned something in at the end of each round of treatment, it’s been something to look forward to at the worst times.
‘Her passion has always been photography and it was something she always wanted to pursue as a career. When she became poorly we just said look ditch the real life stuff [like school] and focus on what you are passionate about and what you enjoy. ‘
The teenager, she said, had long been a royalist but yesterday’s encounter was the ‘icing on the cake’ and the ‘stuff of dreams’.
Speaking on Radio 4 today, Liz also spoke about the incredible experience. ‘To be honest as they walked through the door, it was a bit of a massive shock. Like my mum said, none of us were really expecting it,’ she explained
Reflecting on her circumstances, she said: ‘I kind of have a choice of carrying on with treatment or carrying on with life basically and considering my treatment isn’t likely to work it may as well fill my life with as many good experiences as I can’
Her mother said: ‘It was such a lovely thing for them to do. It’s been a long time in the planning inviting her, they were such genuine, kind people. Liz loved Queen Elizabeth because she’s an Elizabeth and when she was younger she once stood outside for five hours to catch a glimpse of her in our local town hall. We have always been fans, but all the more so now. ‘
As well as their shared cancer experience, Catherine and Liz also share a passion for the same hobby.
Not only is she a talented amateur photographer who is renowned for taking pictures of her own family, the Princess is also patron of The Royal Photographic Society.
Liz was diagnosed with desmoplastic small round cell tumour in January.
The cancer is so rare that just 12 cases are diagnosed in England each year and there is no standard care treatment.
She received the devastating diagnosis two days after visiting a GP with abdominal pain during the Christmas holidays.
Following scans, doctors found she had tumours on both her ovaries and liver.
Her mother has said her daughter has been told she has between six months and three years to live, although funds are being raised to seek specialist help in the US.
Liz, however, has retained a brilliantly resilient attitude to her diagnosis, telling the BBC earlier this year: ‘It’s just been a bit of a change of normality, is the easiest way to put it.
‘I used to be very orientation around school work. Now I have stopped all school work entirely. If I only have around three years left to live, what’s the point in A-levels?’
Told by her mother to ‘follow her heart’, Liz also decided to create a photography ‘bucket list’ which she is fitting around her own chemotherapy treatment.
So far she has pictured the military, West End musicals and television shows – but yesterday’s experience is sure to top them all.
It is extremely rare – if not unique – for any photographer to be allowed into the investiture room at Windsor.
It is extremely rare – if not unique – for any photographer to be allowed into the investiture room at Windsor. Pictured, Kate, who also has a passion for photography, in 2011
It is the first time that the princess has been picture since she announced she was planning a slow and measured return to work following her own cancer diagnosis in February. Kate pictured in a heartfelt video about her health journey
Even official photographs taken of the occasion are done by a remote camera operated by a photographer from outside the room.
Speaking on Radio 4 today, Liz also spoke about the incredible experience.
‘To be honest as they walked through the door, it was a bit of a massive shock. Like my mum said, none of us were really expecting it,’ she explained.
‘Talking to them was amazing because it was like talking to anyone, just like a normal person.
‘No sort of grandeur about them, there was just humanity and kindness.’
Reflecting on her circumstances, she said: ‘I kind of have a choice of carrying on with treatment or carrying on with life basically and considering my treatment isn’t likely to work it may as well fill my life with as many good experiences as I can.’