Princess Kate has shared a picture with a 16-year-old photographer who has cancer and said the teenager “inspired” her—in an early example of her new way of working after completing chemotherapy.
The Princess of Wales received treatment for cancer, starting in late February, and has had a reduced workload since.
However, she did welcome Liz Hatton, 16, to Windsor Castle to hear about her own experience with a rare aggressive tumor.
Kate and Prince William posted a photo of the meeting on X, formerly Twitter, and it was liked 16k times and viewed 598k times.
They wrote: “A pleasure to meet with Liz at Windsor today. A talented young photographer whose creativity and strength has inspired us both. Thank you for sharing your photos and story with us W&C.”
Hatton wrote on her Instagram stories: “Such lovely, genuine and kind people. I’m over the moon that my family had this experience.”
The meeting with Kate is an early example of what is expected to be a new approach to her working life in the latter part of 2024.
A pleasure to meet with Liz at Windsor today. A talented young photographer whose creativity and strength has inspired us both. Thank you for sharing your photos and story with us. ❤️ W&C pic.twitter.com/VARhrbCvkv
— The Prince and Princess of Wales (@KensingtonRoyal) October 2, 2024
Kate announced in September that she had completed a course of chemotherapy and had switched her focus to remaining “cancer free.”
However, she has not yet returned to work full time, choosing instead to focus on working from home and some private meetings.
One listed on the Court Circular in September was a meeting of her early years project at Windsor Castle on September 17 and another on September 24.
She is expected to make an appearance at the Remembrance Sunday commemoration at the Cenotaph in November and at her annual carol service, Together at Christmas, at Westminster Abbey, in December.
The princess is, though, still in a state of flux with her current working arrangements likely to be only temporary.
In her chemotherapy video, she said: “This time has above all reminded William and me to reflect and be grateful for the simple yet important things in life, which so many of us often take for granted.
“Of simply loving and being loved. Doing what I can to stay cancer free is now my focus. Although I have finished chemotherapy, my path to healing and full recovery is long and I must continue to take each day as it comes.
“I am however looking forward to being back at work and undertaking a few more public engagements in the coming months when I can.
“Despite all that has gone before, I enter this new phase of recovery with a renewed sense of hope and appreciation of life.”
The palace may wish to note, however, that some U.K. newspapers ridiculed the video as overly contrived, despite the serious subject matter.
There has been significant sympathy in Britain for Kate’s cancer recovery, but it remains possible that pressure on her to return to work full time could grow.
Kate’s meeting with Hutton was promoted on Kensington Palace’s official Twitter account, without being promoted in advance as a royal engagement in the traditional way.
It did though, still find its way onto the front pages, including that of The Sun, which ran the headline: “Kate’s Hug of Love.”
Jack Royston is chief royal correspondent for Newsweek, based in London. You can find him on X, formerly Twitter, at @jack_royston and read his stories on Newsweek‘s The Royals Facebook page.
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