Teenage photographer Liz Hatton who 'inspired' Kate and William dies aged 17 after cancer battle

Teenage lensman Liz Hatton, who inspired the Princess of Wales aft pursuing a photography bucket database portion facing a uncommon signifier of cancer, has died, her parent has announced.

The 17-year-old, from Harrogate, was pictured being hugged by Kate astatine Windsor Castle successful October aft being invited to instrumentality pictures of the Prince of Wales astatine an investiture.

Liz began a photography bucket database entreaty successful January aft being diagnosed with an assertive desmoplastic tiny circular compartment tumour and fixed six months to 3 years to live.

Liz’s parent Vicky Robayna paid tribute to her “incredible daughter” and the kindness, empathy and courageousness she showed, saying “she flew precocious until the end”.

Her decease astatine location aboriginal connected Wednesday greeting had near “a gaping Liz-shaped spread successful our lives that I americium not definite however we volition ever fill”, she added.

Ms Roboyna announced connected X connected Wednesday: “Our unthinkable girl Liz died successful the aboriginal hours of this morning. She remained determined to the last.

“Even yesterday, she was inactive making plans. We are truthful precise arrogant of the kindness, empathy and courageousness she has shown successful the past year.

“She was not lone a phenomenal photographer, she was the champion quality and the astir fantastic girl and large sister we could ever person asked for.

“No-one could person fought harder for beingness than she did. There is simply a gaping Liz-shaped spread successful our lives that I americium not definite however we volition ever fill.”

Ms Robayna thanked those who helped the teen fulfil her dreams successful her last months and those who liked and supported her work, adding: “You ensured Liz’s past 2 months were her precise best. She flew precocious until the end.”

She asked societal media users to stock 1 of Liz’s photos successful tribute, nether the hashtag #LizHatton, and besides to enactment the family’s ngo to money probe into desmoplastic tiny circular compartment tumour, which has nary foundation specialising successful the illness successful the UK.

Liz was invited by the Prince of Wales to instrumentality pictures astatine an investiture ceremonial past month, and aboriginal described gathering Kate, who herself was treated for crab this year, and William arsenic “quite a mind-blowing, overwhelming experience”.

Her parent said the royal mates had “spent a batch of clip talking astir photography and astir things that Liz enjoyed”, and added that the gathering had “give[n] the satellite a accidental to spot what we spot each time – that [Liz] is superb and brave and talented.”

Liz was joined astatine the Windsor Castle investiture by her mother, stepfather Aaron and member Mateo.

William and Kate aboriginal described Liz arsenic “a talented young lensman whose creativity and spot has inspired america both”.

As portion of her bucket list, Liz went connected to photograph comedian Michael McIntyre, circus performers, the Royal Ballet, models from the Storm Model Agency, the London Air Ambulances from a helipad, edifice doormen, the reddish carpet astatine the MTV Europe Music Awards, and joined acclaimed British lensman Rankin to pb a manner shoot.

Rankin antecedently paid tribute to her skill, telling the BBC: “The photos Liz has created… are truly blase images… She understands that it’s a creation.”

Social media users paid tribute to Liz connected Wednesday evening, pursuing quality of her death.

They described her arsenic “an astonishing person, with truthful overmuch courageousness and talent”, who “lit up the satellite with her generous and benignant spirit.”

“[She] was not conscionable an incredibly talented lensman but an inspiration to truthful galore astir the world,” said 1 user, portion different described her arsenic “a airy successful the darkness... [who] talented america with her astonishing images”.