The 42-year-old Princess of Wales has returned to royal duties. Kate Middleton met with a schoolgirl who is battling cancer.
Prince William’s wife made her first public appearance since revealing she had completed cancer treatment. The Prince and Princess of Wales presented awards at Windsor Castle. Kate invited 16-year-old amateur photographer Liz Hutton to the reception. She commissioned her to take pictures of the event, fulfilling a long-time dream of Liz’s.
The girl from Harrogate, Yorkshire, is battling a rare and aggressive tumour. Since Hutton was diagnosed with the terrible disease, she tries to participate in as many photo shoots as possible. A personal invitation to the royal family residence was a great gift for her. During the emotional meeting, the Princess of Wales, who herself faced a deadly disease, warmly hugged the girl. Liz was accompanied by her mother Vicky Robeyna, stepfather Aaron and brother Mateo.
“It was a pleasure to meet Liz in Windsor today. A talented young photographer whose creativity and strength inspired us both. Thank you for sharing your photos and story with us,” Kate and William wrote on their personal blog, adding a heart emoji and their signature “W & C” signature.
Liz Hutton shared her impressions of meeting with representatives of the British monarchy. She was delighted that her photos were published by Kensington Palace. “Kate and William are such sweet, sincere and kind people. I am over the moon that my family had such an experience,” the girl said.
William learned about the teenager through his charity and decided that it would be beneficial for both of them to meet her. After the official events, Kate met the girl privately to tell her about her journey to recovery.
“The Prince became aware of Liz through the London Air Ambulance charity, of which he is patron, and following the awards ceremony, the Prince and Princess of Wales met privately with Liz and her family to hear about her day and journey,” Kensington Palace said.
Liz received her horrific diagnosis in January. During the Christmas holidays, she visited her GP complaining of abdominal pain. After a scan, doctors discovered tumours on both ovaries and her liver. She was diagnosed with desmoplastic small round cell tumour.
According to Vicky Robayne, her daughter’s oncologist told her that she had between six months and three years to live. “It seemed like a small change in lifestyle, that’s the easiest way to put it. I used to be a very good student, now I’ve completely stopped all schoolwork. If I only have about three years to live, what’s the point?” the Daily Mail quotes the girl as saying.
Instead, Liz focused on her favorite hobby. She took up photography in the sixth grade, saving up to buy her first camera. Liz decided to “follow her heart” and made a bucket list of photography-related goals. The family is currently raising funds to seek help from specialists in the United States.
