The Princess of Wales has undertaken her first public engagement since confirming that she has "completed" her treatment for cancer.
Just weeks after she took to social media to share the news that she had "completed" her treatment for cancer, the future Queen has returned to work. Following a private meeting in September that was recorded in the Court Circular, the future Queen met a talented young photographer on 2nd October. The meeting with Liz Hatton at Windsor Castle was an incredibly poignant one, with the BBC reporting that the sixteen-year-old is battling an aggressive form of cancer. Having a huge passion for photography, Liz had been given the opportunity to take photos of an investiture held at the royal residence earlier that day after Prince William had heard her story through his role as Patron of London Air Ambulance Charity.
Liz was then invited to meet with the Prince and Princess of Wales alongside her family after the investiture ceremony. Whilst the meeting was a private one, Kate and Prince William shared two special snaps from it on social media alongside a heartfelt personal message.
Signed off with their now-traditional "C" and "W" initials, they expressed how "inspired" they’d been by Liz.
"A pleasure to meet with Liz at Windsor today," they declared. "A talented young photographer whose creativity and strength has inspired us both. Thank you for sharing your photos and story with us. ❤️ W&C".
Meeting the future King and Queen was also a treasured moment for the teenager, who reportedly later described herself on social media as "over the moon" that she and her family had this experience. She also dubbed Kate and Prince William as "lovely, genuine and kind people" and it’s been suggested that she has compiled a photography bucket list "to create a lifetime of memories" since being diagnosed with desmoplastic small round cell tumour in January.
For the Princess of Wales this meeting was likely especially moving in light of her own recent cancer diagnosis and treatment, as well as the love of photography she shares with Liz. In March, Kate made her diagnosis public and explained that her main focus was "making a full recovery".
Although she joined the King, Queen and other working royals on the Buckingham Palace balcony for Trooping the Colour in June and attended the Wimbledon final in July, these were the only times she’s been glimpsed publicly since her diagnosis, as she paused her royal duties.
In the recent message shared in September alongside a video filmed by Will Warr, the Princess of Wales confirmed that she’d "completed" her treatment and was "looking forward to being back at work". She reflected that she would be undertaking "a few more public engagements" when she can over the coming months.
Speculation had arisen that Kate could be set to attend the Remembrance Day service in November, though she seems to have already started easing gradually back into public-facing official duties from now. It’s not known when fans could next see the Princess undertaking a public, photographed engagement and it could possibly be this service at the Cenotaph.
Speaking in her video last month, Kate declared that she was entering her new "phase of recovery with a renewed sense of hope and appreciation of life". She also addressed those who are continuing with their own cancer journey with a comforting statement of compassion.
"To all those who are continuing their own cancer journey - I remain with you, side by side, hand in hand. Out of darkness, can come light so let that light shine bright," she said.
