PRINCESS OF WALES ATTENDS BUCKINGHAM PALACE GARDEN PARTY
The Princess of Wales enjoyed a garden party reunion with the family of the late Liz Hatton, the teenage photographer who died of cancer last year.
Vicky Robayna, Liz’s mother, gave the Princess a warm hug at the first Buckingham Palace garden party the Princess has attended since her own cancer diagnosis.
Mrs Robayna said that her whole family’s lives changed for the better when the Princess invited Liz to Windsor Castle, to fulfil her “bucket list” wish to photograph an investiture.
Liz’s younger brother Mateo, nine, gave the Princess two Jellycat toys in honour of his sister, who used to give them to people who made her happy.
The Princess, who is making a gradual return to public duties, and her husband, the Prince of Wales, hosted the garden party on behalf of the King, inviting Princess Eugenie and Zara Tindall to join them.
The Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester were also on hand to greet some of the 8,000 guests in the spring sunshine.
The Princess, who last attended a garden party in May 2023, won fashion plaudits for her on-trend butter-yellow dress by Emilia Wickstead and hat by Philip Treacy, an outfit she last wore during Elizabeth II’s Platinum Jubilee celebrations in June 2022.
Liz Hatton, from Harrogate, North Yorkshire, died last November at 17. She had fought desmoplastic small round cell tumour, a rare and aggressive cancer with no standard treatment, for ten months.
The Prince and Princess said at the time it was “an honour” to have met such a “brave and humble young woman”.
Mrs Robayna, with her husband Aaron and son Mateo, spent several minutes catching up with the Prince and Princess.
She told the Princess of her daughter: “You changed her life for the better, you changed ours too because our memories are all positive.”
When Mateo gave the Princess yellow Jellycat collectables in the shape of a lemon pie and a pickled onion, she told him that the soft toys always reminded her of Liz.
“It matches my dress, how did you know?” she smiled. “When I see the fish and chips Jellycat, I think of her. She really made the most of everything. I loved her creativity all the way through.”
The Princess added: “If you need any help fundraising, maybe I can help. Please stay in touch, really.”
Prince William said of the toys: “My children will love these. They are children’s currency.”
Liz’s family have started a charity called Capture in her honour, to support those with the same cancer. It has funded its first research project and will launch its website by the end of May.
Other guests included Steven Frank, the holocaust survivor photographed by the Princess in 2020 to commemorate 75 years since the end of the Second World War.
Tony Hudgell, the double amputee from Kent who missed the garden party last year after getting stuck in a traffic jam, was in attendance.
The Prince and Princess met representatives from a number of their patronages, military affiliations and “passion projects” including Homewards, Action for Children, Ty Hafan and tenants from the Duchy of Cornwall sites.
On average, more than 27,000 cups of tea, 20,000 sandwiches and 20,000 cakes are consumed at each garden party. Guests come from all walks of life, with many wearing uniform or national costume instead of suits and dresses.
Earlier this month, the King and Queen, joined by the Duke and Duchess of Edinburgh, the Princess Royal and the Duke and Duchess of Gloucester, hosted the first garden party of the season.
Their Majesties also hosted the first garden party to be held for those working in the education and skills sector.
The final garden party of the season will be held at the Palace of Holyroodhouse, in Scotland, on July 1.
2025-05-20T16:04:33Z
