Liz Hatton, a seventeen-year-old photographer suffering from a rare cancer, has died. Her mother, Vicky Roboyna, announced her death on Wednesday. Last month, the British woman, fulfilling her “dream list”, met with Duchess Kate. The Prince and Princess of Wales later wrote that her “creativity and strength are inspiring.”
“Our wonderful daughter Liz died early this morning,” wrote the 17-year-old's mother, Vicky Roboyna, on the X website on Wednesday. “She remained determined to the end. Even yesterday she was still making plans. We are very proud of the kindness, empathy and courage she has shown over the last year. She was not only a phenomenal photographer, she was the best person and the greatest daughter and older sister,” she emphasized.
Later in the post, Vicky Roboyna asked to share one of her daughter's photos. “Let's let her go with a bang,” she appealed.
Liz Hatton's mother also asked for donations to be made for research into desmoplastic small round cell tumor – a rare cancer from which the teenage photographer suffered. “There is no charity in the UK or abroad that funds effective treatment,” she wrote on X.
Terminally ill Liz created a 'bucket list'
Liz Hatton was diagnosed at the end of 2023. Doctors then estimated the prognosis at 6 months to 3 years of life. Liz later told The Times that she felt “like someone had hit her.” However, she added that she later came to terms with the diagnosis and decided to use the remaining time as best as possible.
The teenager, together with her mother, developed a “list of dreams” that she wanted to fulfill before her death. One of her points was visit to Windsor Castlewhere at the beginning of October she photographed the ceremony of awarding a knighthood to cyclist Mark Cavendish and the British Empire Medal to former footballer and coach Ally McCoist. Liz was also invited to a meeting with Prince William and Duchess Kate.
Liz Hatton at an exhibition of her photographs, November 21, 2024.Shane Sinclair/Getty Images
Prince William and Duchess Kate about meeting Liz Hatton
After the meeting, the Prince and Princess of Wales published photos on their official X account with “a talented young photographer whose creativity and strength inspire us both.” “Thank you for sharing your photos and story with us,” the royal couple emphasized.
Fulfilling her dreams from the list, Liz Hatton also photographed, among others, comedian Michael McIntyre, a star on the red carpet at the MTV Europe Music Award gala, and together with the renowned photographer John Rankin Waddell, she also took part in a fashion session – Sky News reported on Wednesday.
Main photo source: Shane Sinclair/Getty Images