Kate welcomes grieving parents of teen photographer Liz Hatton who died of cancer aged 17 at Buckingham Palace Garden Party
The Princess of Wales oozed glamour as she arrived at a garden party at Buckingham Palace this afternoon alongside Prince William.
Kate, 43, donned a yellow dress by Emilia Wickstead and a hat by Phillip Treacy as she stood on the terrace for the National Anthem in the grounds of Buckingham Palace, while the Prince of Wales wore a smart top hat and three-piece suit.
It marks her first appearance at a garden party since 2023 – having skipped last year while she was having cancer treatment.
The couple have invited two other young members of the Royal Family to join them – cousins Princess Eugenie and Zara Tindall.
Other royals in attendance are the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, wearing a dress by Beulah and hat by Jane Taylor, and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester.
Although the King wasn’t present, the party in the palace grounds is still known as The King’s Garden Party and held on his behalf.
This year, as the Prince and Princess of Wales host special guests from around the nation, they are welcoming some very special guests to the grounds of Buckingham Palace – the family of Liz Hatton.
Cancer campaigner and photography prodigy Liz, from Harrogate, passed away at the age of 17 in November 2024 from a rare and largely untreatable cancer, Desmoplastic Small Round Cell Tumour.
The Princess of Wales oozed glamour as she arrived at a garden party at Buckingham Palace this afternoon alongside Prince William
Prince William was dressed in smart attire as he joined his wife for her garden party return
She was diagnosed with the aggressive disease just 10 months before she passed away – but certainly made her mark on the nation before her death.
The teen was determined to pack as much as she could in to her remaining time and devised a ‘bucket list’ of assignments to capture with the help of her family – mother Vicky Robayna, father Aaron and brother Mateo.
After the Prince of Wales got to hear about it, he invited Liz into Windsor Castle in October to photograph an investiture he was holding.
Much to the family’s surprise he then invited them for tea afterwards, with wife Kate – who has undergone her own cancer battle this year – joining them.
A photograph of her hugging Liz went viral and offers from organisations to help her fulfil the remaining items on her list – as well as dozens of others – flooded in, including an assignment at the Daily Mail.
The family of Liz Hatton attending the Buckingham Palace garden party this afternoon
Liz Hatton, the teenager with cancer who met Kate at Windsor Castle earlier this year, will be celebrating Christmas with her family this weekend, her mother has revealed
Kate, 43, donned a yellow dress by Emilia Wickstead and a hat by Phillip Treacy as she stood on the terrace for the National Anthem
It was a family affair as they were joined by royals including Zara Tindall for the event
Like the prince and princess, the public were deeply moved by Liz’s strength, maturity and determination to face her tragically inevitable death head on.
She had hoped to make Christmas, and the family had even tried to bring forward their own celebrations early so that she could spent it with her adored younger brother, Mateo.
Sadly she passed away quietly in the early hours of November 27 before that could happen.
Liz made the incredibly mature decision to donate her body to medical science after her death in the hope that studies of her condition might help prevent another family from being separated in the way they have. Within days of her death, her body was transported to Glasgow University for medical students to study.
Since Liz passed away, grieving mother Vicky has repeatedly praised the Prince and Princess of Wales for their support as the family navigate their grief.
Liz is an aspiring photographer and has been living out her wish list over the last few months. Pictured at the Venom premiere
Liz, pictured with her mother Vicky, stepfather Aaron and little brother Mateo in Disneyland
Like the prince and princess, the public were deeply moved by Liz’s strength, maturity and determination to face her tragically inevitable death head on. Liz and her family pictured with the Prince and Princess
Speaking at a memorial in December for her daughter, Vicky told the Mail the couple had been ‘so kind, so caring’ and she couldn’t thank them, or their team, enough.
Surrounded by her talented daughter’s photographs that first brought her to William and Kate’s attention, she said: ‘They are so incredibly kind. They have been in touch throughout. It’s been a difficult time but we have had messages from them. They and their team are often checking in. They have looked after us incredibly.’
The family were also guests of honour at the Princess’s Together at Christmas Carol Service held at Westminster Abbey.
Speaking about their invitation, Vicky said: ‘We didn’t know if we would feel up to going, but I am so glad we did. It was so beautiful. They really looked after us.
‘I knew it would be one of those things we would regret if we hadn’t gone. It was tough as Liz had been determined to go to it and we now have so many memories associated with London. But I think we knew how cross she would be with us if we didn’t go. The prince and princess made it a lot easier.’
Typically, the royal family hosts four garden parties every summer; three at Buckingham Palace and one at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Scotland.
They stem from a tradition of introducing debutantes into society – but evolved into a way of rewarding and recognising outstanding public service.
Among the figures invited to garden parties are nominated by state and local government departments, religious figures and official societies.
Each garden party – and there are normally around three or four held each year – see up to 8,000 specially-invited guests including community stalwarts, charity campaigners and military heroes invited to take tea and enjoy the palace gardens.
While the bands continue to play a selection of music, members of the Royal Family circulate among the guests through ‘lanes’.
Each takes a different route and random presentations are made so that everyone has an equal chance of speaking to a royal before they they arrive at the Royal Tea Tent, where they meet further guests.
They are then are then free to eat, drink and stroll around the beautiful Palace gardens.
Other notable guests include Steven Frank, a Holocaust survivor who The Princess photographed in 2020 to commemorate the 75th anniversary of the end of the Holocaust.
Their Royal Highnesses will also meet guests from a number of both their patronages, military affiliations and passion projects including; Homewards, Action for Children, Ty Hafan, and tenants across Duchy of Cornwall sites.
