Kate will be brave and fight like me

THE Princess of Wales last night received a touching message of support from a young girl she befriended and helped through her own battle with cancer.

- JENNIFER HYLAND and PATRICK HILL

Mila Sneddon, eight, who struck up a heartwarming relationship with Kate, said: "She will be brave because I was and she will fight it like I did." Mila's mum, Lynda, also had warm words for the royal, saying:

"She is a mum, a wife, she is young, beautiful, athletic and she is facing this. It shows cancer doesn't discriminate, it can affect anyone at any time. We wish her a peaceful and speedy recovery."

Mila was given a boost during her illness by Kate, who asked if they could meet after seeing a striking photograph of the sick little girl gazing at her father, Scott, through a window while having chemotherapy during the Covid-19 lockdown.

The picture was chosen to feature in Kate's photography book Hold Still: A Portrait of Our Nation in 2020.

And the Princess was last night in Mila's thoughts, as she said: "I hope she feels better soon and I wish her a speedy recovery."

Diagnosed with acute lymphoblastic leukaemia aged four, Mila was declared free of cancer two years ago. The all-clear came after twice meeting Kate, including at the annual Westminster Abbey Christmas Concert, where she was invited to read a prayer in 2021.

Mila met the mum-ofthree for the first time earlier that year at Edinburgh's Holyroodhouse, where Kate wore Mila's favourite colour, pink, at her request and got a butler to serve her cereal when she said she was hungry.