The Princess of Wales’s latest engagement took on new meaning in light of her statement announcing she had completed chemotherapy treatment for cancer in September.
Kate’s return to work earlier this week has underlined her commitment to standing ‘side by side’ with other cancer patients and survivors, including 16-year-old Liz Hatton, an aspiring photographer battling terminal cancer.
Liz, who traveled to Windsor Castle at the invitation of Prince William, was too diagnosed with desmoplastic small round cell tumors – an extremely rare and aggressive tumor – in January, according to a Sky News report. Her mother Vicky Roboyna said Liz had between six months and three years to live in June.
On Wednesday, October 2, Kensington Palace released the first photo of Kate since confirming she has completed chemotherapy, and the photo showed her hugging Liz during a private meeting.
It was an incredibly important moment that echoed Kates’ words in her moving video released last month: “I am with you.”
The Princess of Wales met 16-year-old cancer patient Liz Hatton at Windsor Castle on October 2 and greeted the teen with a big smile and a warm hug
The private gathering came less than a month after Kate, 42, confirmed she was cancer-free in a touching video with Prince William and their three children
The Prince and Princess of Wales spent time with Liz Hatton (center), who was diagnosed with an extremely rare form of cancer, and her family, including younger brother Matteo, mother Vicky Roboyna and stepfather Aaron.
Dressed in a burgundy suit, beige sweater and gold earrings, Kate greeted Liz with a big smile and a warm hug, before hearing about her day and cancer journey.
Liz’s trip to Windsor Castle was organized after she posted a ‘bucket list’ of all the things she wanted to photograph in her lifetime, including a music festival, fashion shoot and a musical rehearsal.
A royal family spokesman said Prince William heard about Liz through the London Air Ambulance Charity, of which he is a patron, and had sent a personal invitation to join him for an investiture.
The teenager from Harrogate photographed William presenting awards to Mark Cavendish, Waynes Barnes and Alistair McCoist.
After the ceremony, she was invited to meet William and Kate in what turned out to be a particularly poignant moment.
Liz was accompanied by Vicky, her stepfather Aaron and brother Mateo.
The prince and princess later thanked Liz for “sharing your photos and story with us” in a post on X, which was accompanied by photos of her emotional meeting with Kate.
Liz also marked the occasion with an online post that read: ‘Such lovely, genuine and friendly people. I am ecstatic that my family had this experience.”
Kate, 42, confirmed she would be stepping back from official duties in March after she was diagnosed with cancer following a planned abdominal surgery in January.
The mother-of-three explained she was undergoing “preventative chemotherapy” and asked for “time, space and privacy while I completed my treatment” in an emotional video message.
Kate reflected on her cancer journey in an emotional video message released by Kensington Palace on September 9
The princess said her health struggles reminded ‘William and I’ to be grateful for the ‘simple but important things’ in the moving statement
Their children, Prince Louis, six (left), Princess Charlotte, nine, and Prince George, 11, also appeared in the video
Much to the relief of royal fans, Kate shared that she was cancer-free in a touching video with Prince William and their children, Prince George, Princess Charlotte and Prince Louis.
Kate added that she is ‘looking forward to getting back to work’ and undertaking more public engagements in the coming months, before addressing those ‘continuing their own cancer journey’.
The princess delivered a message of hope and solidarity, saying: “I will stay with you, side by side, hand in hand. Out of darkness can come light, so let that light shine brightly.”
As she hugged Liz at Windsor Castle, she made sure she kept her promise.
Kate’s gentle return to public life
Kate confirmed chemotherapy was behind her and also briefly made plans for a gradual and measured return to public life after her nine-month health ordeal.
“Despite all that has come before, I enter this new phase of recovery with a renewed sense of hope and appreciation for life,” she said, adding that she will undertake “a few more” assignments in the coming months.
Since then, the princess has made a handful of public appearances, including attending a performance of Akram Khan’s Giselle at London’s Sadler’s Wells theater.
Kate took to X to share a photo from the performance, writing: ‘Congratulations and thank you [English National Ballet] And [Sadler’s Wells’ for the wonderfully powerful, moving and inspiring performance of Akram Khan’s Giselle.
‘Creativity at its best!’
It would appear that Kate is prioritising her family, as well as the causes and events closest to her heart, while navigating her recovery.
The Mail recently revealed that she and Prince William enjoyed some time together during a private trip to Balmoral, while their children remained in Berkshire.
Their getaway came less than a week after Kate hosted her first work meeting in over nine months.
On September 17, the royal held a meeting at Windsor Castle with those involved in her ‘Early Years’ project, which focuses on the crucial role the first few years of a person’s life plays in the adults they become.
Kate and Princess Charlotte met ground staff on day 14 of the 2024 Wimbledon Championships in London, ahead of Kate presenting the trophy to the winner of the men’s final
Princess Kate received a standing ovation at the 2024 Wimbledon men’s finals, where she presented Carlos Alcarazy with the winner’s trophy
The Princess of Wales made a brief public appearance on the balcony of Buckingham Palace. alongside William and their children, during the flypast following the Trooping the Colour ceremony
Catherine, Princess of Wales and Prince William, Prince of Wales attended the Christmas Day service at St Mary Magdalene Church on December 25, 2023, along with Louis, George,and Charlotte
It was formally logged in the Court Circular, the official record of royal engagements, which read: ‘The Princess of Wales, Joint Patron, The Royal Foundation of The Prince and Princess of Wales, this afternoon held an Early Years Meeting at Windsor.’
It comes as no surprise that Kate’s first major work engagement pertained to the ‘Early Years’ project, considering its mission is extremely important to the princess.
Her Centre for Early Childhood raises awareness about how formative experiences between the ages of birth to five can significantly shape a person’s life.
While Kate has made brief public appearances since her cancer diagnosis, including attending the men’s Wimbledon finals and the Trooping the Colour, the ‘Early Years’ meeting marked a significant step forward in Kate’s recovery journey.
It was the first meeting noted in the Court Circular since Kate presided over a round table of her Royal Foundation on December 6 last year.
She hosted her annual carol service tow days later and attended the royal family’s Christmas celebrations at Sandringham, before she was secretly admitted to The London Clinic for abdominal surgery on January 16.
At the time, Kensington Palace announced that Kate was likely to spend a couple of weeks in hospital to recover from the planned surgery, adding she was ‘doing well’ in the aftermath of the operation.
She was discharged from The London Clinic on January 29, days before Buckingham Palace announced King Charles had been diagnosed with cancer during an unrelated procedure for an enlarged prostate.
Over one month later, amid heightened speculation over Kate’s well-being, the princess issued a statement about her cancer diagnosis on March 22.
‘It has taken us time to explain everything to George, Charlotte and Louis in a way that is appropriate for them, and to reassure them that I am going to be OK,’ Kate said in a video that was posted on Kensington Palace’s social media channels.