The Prince and Princess of Wales have shared their deep sorrow over the passing of teenage photographer Liz Hatton, describing it as “an honour to have met such a brave and humble young woman”.
The 17-year-old from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, who passed away on Wednesday, had been fulfilling her photography bucket list after being diagnosed with an aggressive and rare form of cancer earlier in the year.
Liz made headlines when she was embraced by Kate at Windsor Castle in October, having been invited to photograph William during an investiture ceremony. William and Kate, with Kate herself having undergone cancer treatment this year, conveyed their condolences in a heartfelt message on their Kensington Palace social media accounts: “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.”
The personal note concluded with the initials “W & C”.
Liz’s mother, Vicky Robayna, paid tribute to her “incredible daughter” who “she flew high until the end”, as she announced the tragic news. She spoke of the “a gaping Liz-shaped hole in our lives that I am not sure how we will ever fill” following her daughter’s death at home in the early hours of Wednesday.
Vicky encouraged people to share one of Liz’s photos in her memory using the hashtag #LizHatton and to support the family’s campaign to fund research into Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumour, the rare and aggressive sarcoma that took Liz’s life.
Vicky has launched a fundraising initiative at justgiving.com/crowdfunding/vicky-robayna with a goal of raising £100,000, directing donors to Liz’s previous fundraising page and also providing a link to the new campaign on it.
As part of her bucket list, Liz achieved her dream of photographing celebrities like comedian Michael McIntyre, capturing images of circus performers, snapping the Royal Ballet, Storm Model Agency models, London Air Ambulances departing from a helipad, hotel doormen, experiencing the glamour of the MTV Europe Music Awards red carpet, and even co-leading a fashion shoot with renowned British photographer Rankin.
Her “biggest wish” came true when she spent two days under the tutelage of famed Los Angeles portrait photographer David Suh, who made the journey from the US especially to work with her. This month, Liz proudly displayed her talent at her very own photography exhibition in London, showcasing the incredible body of work she created.
Mum Vicky expressed on X at the time how deeply moved she was by the exhibition: “Liz had her very own exhibition last week, the perfect culmination of her incredible achievements.”
She continued, remarking that as she perused the photos Liz captured despite challenging circumstances, her awe for her daughter grew: “As I walked around looking at her pictures, thinking about the circumstances many were taken under, I was more in awe of her than ever.”
Unfortunately, she then shared the heart-wrenching update that Liz had been feeling increasingly fatigued recently. The family, aware that their time together was limited, planned an early Christmas celebration at the end of this week.
Liz, a former Harrogate Grammar School student, will also be remembered through a dedicated website showcasing her passion for photography.
The story unfolds of a young girl who started snapping pictures as soon as she could toddle, diligently saved up to purchase her first “real” camera at the tender age of nine, and by 11, had picked her secondary school with the specific intent of studying photography. She pursued GCSE photography and embarked on her A-levels to hone her craft.
Photography became more than just a passion for Liz; it was a means to cope with her unrelenting pain. “Every time she picks up her camera and focuses on new and exciting shoots it helps to distract her from the constant pain that she feels every second of every day,” the website explained.
“When taking photographs, the rest of the world doesn’t seem to matter as much.”
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