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Kate Middleton paid tribute to a teenage photographer on what would have been her 18th birthday.
The Princess of Wales, 43, honored 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.
“Remembering 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,” they wrote.
The post was shared on Hatton’s Instagram Stories, with a caption thanking William, 43, and Kate.
An emotional tribute to Hatton was also posted on the late teen’s Instagram feed.
“Tomorrow should have been Liz’s 18th Birthday. I wonder if she had been writing this post what she would have written. I suspect something on the lines of ‘Here’s to a lifetime of taking photos,’ ” the caption read.
Andrew Parsons / Kensington Palace
Back in March, Kate and William shared an inspiring tribute to Hatton on International Women’s Day to celebrate “the strength and creativity of Liz and [her mother] Vicky Hatton.”
“It was an honor meeting them both in Windsor in October,” the couple wrote in the caption.
The post also remembered Hatton for her “unwavering resilience.”
The tribute was shared alongside a previous social media post, which featured a photo of Kate embracing Hatton when the pair first met at Windsor Castle last year, as well as another of Kate and William posing with the teen and her family.
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Hatton died last year after being diagnosed with an aggressive desmoplastic small round cell tumor, her mother previously announced on Instagram.
The late photographer created a bucket list — which included her desire to meet Princess Kate — in January 2024, per BBC News.
After Hatton’s death, the Prince and Princess of Wales wrote in a statement, “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,” they added.
