Kate Middleton Filled with ‘Humanity and Kindness,’ Says Teen with Cancer After Windsor Castle Hug

• On Thursday, Oct. 3, teen cancer patient Liz Hatton spoke to BBC Radio 4 about the moment she was hugged by Kate Middleton at Windsor Castle
• “There was no sort of grandeur about them, there was just humanity and kindness,” Hatton said about meeting the Prince and Princess of Wales
• Hatton has been diagnosed with a desmoplastic small round cell tumor, a rare and aggressive form of cancer. She has also been told she has between six months and three years to live.

Kate Middleton‘s meeting with a young woman with cancer was filled with “humanity and kindness.”

On Thursday, Oct. 3, budding photographer Liz Hatton from Harrogate in Yorkshire told the Today program on BBC Radio 4 about the moment she was hugged by Kate at Windsor Castle after she photographed an investiture ceremony carried out by Prince William.

Hatton, 16, said it was “a massive shock” when Kate and William, both 42, walked into the room at the Castle on Oct. 2. after William had handed out honors to ordinary people and celebrities who have achieved great things.

“None of us were really expecting it necessarily — except for my little brother apparently!” added Hatton, who has been diagnosed with a desmoplastic small round cell tumor, a rare and aggressive form of cancer. She has also been told she has between six months and three years to live.

Hatton had been invited by the palace to capture the investiture on camera, as part of a series of unforgettable experiences. She and her family then met the royal couple privately.

“Talking to them was amazing ‘cause it was like talking to anyone, like just a normal person,” she added to the BBC. “There was no sort of grandeur about them, there was just humanity and kindness.”

In May, Hatton’s mother Vicky Roboyna shared her daughter’s “photography bucket list” to X in a post that’s since gained traction with thousands of likes and shares.

William heard about this through the London Air Ambulance Charity, of which he serves as patron, and the Prince of Wales’ team posted some of her photos from the investiture to the official social media accounts he shares with Kate.

Hatton told BBC Radio 4 that she wants to fill her life “with as many good experiences as I can because those happy memories are what’s going to be what’s important not just to me but to the people around me who experience them with me.”

Her mother Vicky added in the radio interview, “Would we choose to have Liz forever and none of these experiences — of course we would. But that’s not on the cards and we’re so very grateful that people have just gone out of their way to make things happen for her and make some of her dreams come true.”

After the meeting on Oct. 2, William and Kate’s social media channels posted their own reaction. “A pleasure to meet with Liz at Windsor today. A talented young photographer whose creativity and strength has inspired us both,” the Prince and Princess of Wales wrote.

“Thank you for sharing your photos and story with us. ❤️,” they added. The royals signed the post “W&C,” using the initials of their first names as shorthand to signal that the message came directly from them.

Hatton added on her Instagram Story on Oct. 2 under a photo of herself hugging the Princess of Wales: “Such a lovely, genuine and kind people, I’m over the moon that my family and I had this experience.”

Can’t get enough of PEOPLE’s Royals coverage? Sign up for our free Royals newsletter to get the latest updates on Kate Middleton, Meghan Markle and more!

Images from the meeting were released by William and Kate’s team at Kensington Palace. As well as the warm embrace, there was second image of the royal couple standing with Liz and her family.

The Princess of Wales announced via an Sept. 9 video message that she completed chemotherapy treatment. Kate earlier shared in March that she was undergoing treatment for cancer, and has been outside of the spotlight for much of 2024 to privately prioritize her health.

Hatton’s photography hobby connects her to Kate in a special way. The Princess is known for her photography hobby and has described herself as an “enthusiastic amateur photographer.” She also serves as patron of The Royal Photographic Society and often hops behind the camera to take pictures of her children Prince George, 11, Princess Charlotte, 9, and Prince Louis, 6, for their birthdays or other milestone moments.