đđ PRINCESS CATHERINEâS SILENT PROMISE SHATTERS HEARTS: On What Would Have Been a Teen Photographerâs 18th Birthday, Kate Middleton PAID TRIBUTE to the Cancer Victim With a Family Wish â And the Hidden Message Left Millions in Tears đ±đ
NEED TO KNOW
- Kate Middleton paid tribute to a teenage photographer, who died of cancer, on what would have been her 18th birthday on Aug. 31
- Liz Hatton died at age 17 in November 2024 after being diagnosed with an aggressive desmoplastic small round cell tumor
- Kate and her husband Prince William honored the wishes of Lizâs family, who asked that others display her âbucket listâ photographs in prominent places
Kate Middleton is honoring one special teenage photographer on what would have been her 18th birthday.
The Princess of Wales, 43, paid tribute to the late Liz Hatton, who died of cancer at age 17 in November 2024, with a touching post on her joint social media accounts with husband Prince William on Aug. 31.
The couple shared a photo of a photograph on display on an easel at Windsor Castle in England, alongside a caption explaining its significance.
âRemembering Liz Hatton today on what would have been her 18th birthday. The photo shown in this image was taken by Liz during an Investiture at Windsor Castle in October 2024, and is on display today in the spot where it was taken,â they wrote.
The photograph â of a yeoman guard at Windsor Castle â was shot by Liz as one of the âbucket listâ assignments she vowed to complete in the last months of her life.
The post was shared on Lizâs Instagram Stories, with a caption thanking William, 43, and Kate.
An emotional tribute to Liz was also posted on the late teenâs Instagram feed.
âTomorrow should have been Lizâs 18th Birthday. I wonder if she had been writing this post what she would have written. I suspect something on the lines of âHereâs to a lifetime of taking photos,â â the caption read.

Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace
Last month, Lizâs mother, Vicky Robayna, opened up to PEOPLE about their birthday wish to honor Liz, inviting people from around the world to display the teenâs images.
âWe just want as many people as possible to see her work,â Vicky told PEOPLE at the time. âIf anyone would like one to put up prominently, weâre up to helping with that. People can also share them on their social media.â
Liz, who had been diagnosed with a rare sarcoma, desmoplastic small round cell tumor, captured the hearts of William and Kate who heard of her desire to undertake exciting photographic assignments in the last months of her life. Hearing of her story, they invited her to take pictures of an investiture at Windsor Castle â and she and her family got to meet the royals in a surprise tea party afterward.
Back in March, Kate and William shared an inspiring tribute to Hatton on International Womenâs Day to celebrate âthe strength and creativity of Liz and [her mother] Vicky Hatton.â
âIt was an honor meeting them both in Windsor in October,â the couple wrote in the caption.
The post also remembered Hatton for her âunwavering resilience.â