Kate Middleton is remembering a teenage admirer who had it on her “bucket list” to meet the royal before she died.
The Princess of Wales, 43, shared a poignant tribute to the late photographer Liz Hatton, who died at age 17 from cancer in November 2024, as she marked International Women’s Day on Saturday, March 8.
“Celebrating the strength and creativity of Liz and [her mother] Vicky Hatton,” Kate wrote on X. “It was an honor meeting them both in Windsor in October. Liz’s memory live[s] on in Vicky’s unwavering resilience. Thank you for such a moving moment #IWD2025.”
Princess Kate’s tribute was shared alongside a previous social media post, which featured a photo of the royal embracing Liz when the pair first met at Windsor Castle last year, as well as another of her and Prince William posing with Liz and her family. The meeting took place following Kate’s return to work after completing her cancer treatment.
“A pleasure to meet with Liz at Windsor today,” the mom of three wrote in the previous post. “A talented young photographer whose creativity and strength has inspired us both. Thank you for sharing your photos and story with us ❤️ W&C.”
Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace
Liz, from North Yorkshire in England, died last year after being diagnosed with terminal cancer in the form of an aggressive desmoplastic tumor, her mother previously announced on Instagram.
In January 2024, the late photographer created a bucket list — which included meeting Kate — after learning of her rare cancer diagnosis, BBC News reported.
Liz said of the meeting in a BBC interview shared via her Instagram, “It was just a massive shock … None of us were expecting it, necessarily … Talking to them was amazing, because it was just like talking to anyone … there was just humanity and kindness.”
Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace
Following the announcement of Liz’s death, the Princess of Wales called the teenager a “talented young photographer whose creativity and strength has inspired us both,” per BBC News.
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Kate announced her cancer diagnosis in March 2024. Months later, in September, she revealed in a video message shared on social media that she had completed her chemotherapy treatment.
The Princess of Wales is next expected to attend the annual Commonwealth Day Service of Celebration at Westminster Abbey in London on Monday, March 10, after not attending last year.