The Prince and Princess of Wales have shared a heartfelt tribute to Liz Hatton, the aspiring photographer who passed away at the age of 17 after being diagnosed with a rare form of cancer. In a joint message, Prince William and Kate expressed their sorrow, saying:

“We are deeply sorry to hear of Liz Hatton’s passing. It was an honor to meet such a brave and humble young woman. Our thoughts and prayers are with Liz’s parents, Vicky and Aaron, and her brother, Mateo, during this incredibly difficult time. W & C.”

Liz, from Harrogate, had met Kate at Windsor Castle in October after being invited to take photos of Prince William at an investiture. Kensington Palace shared images of the meeting, where Kate was seen hugging Liz, describing her as a “talented young photographer whose creativity and strength has inspired us both.”

Kate, who completed her chemotherapy in September after a recent cancer diagnosis, is gradually returning to public duties. Liz’s death was announced by her family on Wednesday evening. Her mother, Vicky Robayna, paid tribute to her “wonderful daughter,” writing on X:

“Our incredible daughter Liz passed away in the early hours of this morning. She stayed determined to the very end. Even yesterday, she was still making plans. We are so proud of the kindness, empathy, and courage she showed throughout this last year.

“Liz was not only a phenomenal photographer, but she was also the best human being and the most wonderful daughter and big sister we could have asked for. No one fought harder for life than she did. There is now a gaping Liz-shaped hole in our lives that I’m not sure how we will ever fill.”

As part of her bucket list, Liz had the opportunity to photograph comedian Michael McIntyre, circus performers, Royal Ballet dancers, models from Storm Model Agency, and even took photos from a helipad of the London Air Ambulance. She also photographed the red carpet at the MTV Europe Music Awards and joined renowned photographer Rankin for a fashion shoot.

In honor of Liz, her mother has encouraged people to share one of Liz’s photos using the hashtag #LizHatton and to support the family’s mission to fund research into Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumour, a rare disease that currently lacks a dedicated charity in the UK. Vicky has set up a fundraising page with a goal of raising £100,000 at justgiving.com/crowdfunding/vicky-robayna.