The squad that blooms every November: the gift of Kate Middleton and Prince William to Liz’s family, a young man who died of cancer

Every November, in the Garden of Vicky Roboyna, in the north of England, a special rose will bloom. Is called Ice n Roses Early Rose And it is a personal gift of Princess Kate and Prince William, to remember Liz HattonVicky’s daughter, who died at 17 in November 2024 from a rare and aggressive abdominal tumor.

Liz, a young Harrogate photographer, in Yorkshirehe had conquered the heart of many with his determination: he wanted to complete a series of photographic projects before the disease took it away. Among the dreams realized, one in particular has taken on a special meaning: Photographing a real event to Windsor Castle, thanks to the meeting with William and Kate.

It all started with an appeal on social media launched by Vickywho asked for help to allow the daughter to live her latest passions. The message reached the Team of the Principles of Wales, through contact with an association of helicopter rescue supported by William. From there, the invitation: Liz would have photographed an official event in Windsor, just when William delivered honors to deserving British citizens.

The meeting in Windsor, which took place in October 2024, was charged with emotion. Princess Kate, who was fighting her personal battle against cancer, welcomed Liz and her family with warmth, surprising them with an affectionate and sincere embrace. “Liz always said they were two of the most authentic people he had ever met,” says Vicky a People. «They were so kind, so simple. But the thing that Liz appreciated most was the way in which his brother Mateo treated. He was very shy, but in the end he had become casual. She loved them for this ».

For Liz’s relatives, “it was like entering a large family. How to feel wrapped in a hug, “Vicky still recalls.

Liz was suffering from a very rare and little -known sarcoma. After his death, the parents they founded Capture, The first association in the world dedicated to this diseaseand thanks also to the visibility received through the support of the royals, they collected over 163 thousand dollars. “Without the help of the princess we would never have had so much resonance or raised so many funds,” explains Vicky. “Liz’s story has gone around the world thanks to them.”

The bond with the royalty did not stop with the girl’s disappearance. The family was invited to the Kate Christmas concert in Westminster Abbey, in December 2024, and then again in May 2025 at a Garden Party in Buckingham Palace. There, Vicky, her husband Aaron and Mateo were able to personally thank Kate and William for all the support received.

Liz appreciated “every single opportunity. He slept very, of course, but it was enough to put a camera in his hand and returned alive, taken, he was thrilled. It was present, in every sense, “says the mother. Until five days before he died, Liz continued to photograph. He wanted people to know his type of cancer, so rare that they were often ignored. But he also wanted the world to know how kind Kate had been with her. “It was very impressed by the way the princess was treated on social media and by the press, because she didn’t want to share all the details on her illness,” says Vicky. “Liz really suffered from it. He said: “Everyone should be able to decide what to tell about their own health.” AND He wanted everyone to know how extraordinary the princess was: sweet, generous, authentic».

There was a time when Liz was terrified of death. “At the beginning it was frightened. He was afraid that he would be painful, that he would end up immobilized in a hospital bed for weeks », Vicky confides. «But I hope that, with his experience, we have shown to other young people who Palliative care can also mean living. That you can go out, dream, and fully live until the last moment».