Inside Kate Middleton and Prince William’s Surprise Meeting with Teen Battling Cancer

Liz Hatton, a U.K. 16-year-old fighting a rare and aggressive form of cancer, was invited to spend Wednesday afternoon at Windsor Castle photographing an investiture ceremony led by Prince William. She was treated to an unforgettable afternoon, but got another surprise: A personal meeting and hug from Kate Middleton and the prince of Wales.

In an interview with BBC Radio Thursday, Hatton shared the “massive shock” she felt when Kate and William walked into the room after the ceremony for the unexpected meeting with her and her family, who tagged along on the trip.

“None of us were really expecting it necessarily—except for my little brother apparently!” she said. “Talking to them was amazing ‘cause it was like talking to anyone, like just a normal person. There was no sort of grandeur about them, there was just humanity and kindness.”

On her Instagram Story Wednesday, Hatton shared a photo from Kate and William’s Instagram account, of Kate wrapping her up in a hug.

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“Such a lovely, genuine, and kind people, I’m over the moon that me and my family had this experience,” she wrote under the snap.

The personal invite from the royal couple was a response to a “photography bucket list” the teen’s mother posted to social media in May, an attempt to help Hatton cram as many unforgettable experiences related to her hobby in the six months to three years that doctors predicted that she has left to live.

Though it was reportedly William who first heard about Hatton’s dream to-do list through his patronage of London’s Air Ambulance, the teen and Kate have more than one thing in common: They both have been diagnosed with and treated for cancer, and both are passionate about photography, making the connection extra special. Kate is patron of the Royal Photographic Society, and often shares photos she took of her family for birthdays, holidays, and other milestones.

In an Instagram post Wednesday, Kate and William shared a signed message about Hatton’s visit, writing in the caption, “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.”

They ended the message with a heart emoji and their initials, W&C, indicating that the message came directly from the Waleses. The account also shared a post featuring several of Hatton’s photographs from the investiture ceremony.

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In a video posted on September 9, Kate shared the good news that she had completed her chemotherapy treatment course, and reinforced her ongoing solidarity with fellow cancer patients. “To all those who are continuing their own cancer journey—I remain with you, side by side, hand in hand,” she said.

In the BBC Radio interview, Hatton said that she wants to fill her life “with as many good experiences as I can because those happy memories are what’s going to be what’s important not just to me but to the people around me who experience them with me.”

Her mother, Vicky Robayna, voiced her gratitude for those who “have just gone out of their way to make things happen for her and make some of her dreams come true.”

Hatton told BBC Radio 4 that she wants to fill her life “with as many good experiences as I can because those happy memories are what’s going to be what’s important not just to me but to the people around me who experience them with me.”

“Would we choose to have Liz forever and none of these experiences—of course we would,” she said. “But that’s not on the cards.”