Liz Hatton, Harrogate teen with cancer who inspired Kate, dies

Check out: Liz Hatton discusses her encounter with the thoughtful Kate at Windsor Castle.

A young photographer who motivated Catherine, Princess of Wales, by working through a list of photography goals while battling a rare type of cancer has passed away.

Liz Hatton, a 17-year-old from Harrogate in North Yorkshire, passed away in the early hours of Wednesday, as shared by her mother, Vicky Robayna, on social media.

On X, previously known as Twitter, Ms. Robayna shared that Liz had "stayed resolute until the very end" and was still working on her future plans as recently as Tuesday.

"We are incredibly proud of the compassion, understanding, and bravery she has displayed over the past year," she expressed.

In October, the Princess of Wales embraced Liz Hatton at Windsor Castle.

In January, Liz launched a photography bucket list campaign after being diagnosed with an aggressive type of cancer called a desmoplastic small round cell tumor, with doctors predicting she might have between six months and three years to live.

In October, she was seen receiving a hug from Catherine at Windsor Castle after being asked to capture images of the Prince of Wales during a ceremony.

Catherine, who underwent cancer treatment earlier this year, and William shared a heartfelt message, referring to Liz as a "gifted young photographer whose artistic abilities and resilience have motivated us both."

Liz and her family had the opportunity to meet the Prince and Princess of Wales during an exclusive gathering.

Ms. Robayna expressed on X that Liz "was not only an incredible photographer, but she was also the most amazing person and the best daughter and older sister we could have ever wished for."

"Nobody fought for life more fiercely than she did," she stated.

There's a big void left by Liz in our lives, and I’m not certain how we will ever fill it.

Ms. Robayna expressed her gratitude to everyone who assisted the teenager in achieving her dreams during her final months, as well as to those who appreciated and supported her efforts. She said, "You made Liz's last two months the happiest of her life. She soared until the very end."

She encouraged everyone to post a photo of Liz as a way to honor her and to help the family's goal of raising money for research on desmoplastic small round cell tumor, a condition that currently lacks any dedicated charity in the UK.

Liz started practicing photography in sixth grade after she saved enough money to purchase her first camera.

She achieved the top grade in the subject at GCSE before beginning her A-level studies in the same subject at Harrogate Grammar School.

Last week, Liz Hatton's family joined her at her art exhibition.

She earlier mentioned to BBC Radio York, "I've always considered it a personal interest."

I enjoy portrait photography and find it fascinating to observe the feelings that people go through. Being able to capture those emotions in a single photograph and preserve that moment in time is something I truly appreciate.

"I believe there's something truly enchanting about it."

A few weeks prior to her passing, Liz had the opportunity to collaborate with one of her photography idols, Rankin, during a photoshoot featuring professional models.

Following the photo session, model Fifi Anicah shared that the images captured by the teenager are now some of her "favorite photos ever."

As part of her list of things to do, Liz also took the opportunity to capture images of comedian Michael McIntyre, circus artists, dancers from the Royal Ballet, models representing the Storm Model Agency, the London Air Ambulance from a helipad, hotel doormen, and moments on the red carpet at the MTV Europe Music Awards.

Just last week, she participated in a showcase of her artwork organized by British Land and Getty Images in London.

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A showcase of Liz's photographs at the exhibition.

Additional portraits of Liz will be showcased at the exhibition.

Last month, Liz and several other photographers from the media were present at the UK premiere of Venom: The Last Dance, which took place in London.