'Real life princess' Duchess of Cambridge wears pink to finally meet five-year-old Mila
Kate told Mila she would wear a pink dress when they finally met. On Thursday, she kept to her promise, ITV Royal Editor Chris Ship reports
There was finally a meeting today between the five-year-old girl fighting leukaemia and the “real life princess” she’s got to know over lockdown. We’ve reported on Mila Sneddon ever since she was separated from her dad. He had to leave home last year as coronavirus spread across the country, so he could keep his daughter safe while she had chemotherapy.
The image of Mila and her dad Scott – separated by their kitchen window – was chosen by the Duchess of Cambridge as one of the finalists in her Hold Still portrait project she launched with the National Portrait Gallery to document life in the UK during the first coronavirus lockdown. The image, called “Shielding Mila” was among the 100 finalists. Now for the first time Mila has been able to meet Kate – who she once told us was a “real-life princess who picked my picture”.
The moment Kate Middleton met Mila in person wearing the five-year-old's favourite colour, pink:
They met each other at the Palace of Holyroodhouse in Edinburgh at the end of William and Kate’s week-long visit to Scotland.
Mila, who is still being treated for a rare form of leukaemia, had asked Kate – when they spoke on the phone last year if she has “a costume”.
But after hearing that Mila’s favourite colour was pink, Kate promised that if they did meet, she would “remember to wear my pink dress for you”.
Mila tells Royal Editor Chris Ship about the Duchess choosing her picture.
Kate proved true to her word on Thursday and wore an ME+EM outfit that matched the five-year-old’s dress.
When Kate walked into the room, the face of the little girl it up. “Hi Mila, look at you. I want to give you a big squeezy cuddle, it’s so nice to meet you in person,” Kate said.
Kate tells Mila she'll wear pink, the five-year-old's favourite colour, when the two meet:
Kate praised the little girl who was dressed head-to-toe in pink with matching headband, dress and shoes. She said: “I love your dress, can you do a little twirl – and your shoes.” Mila spun round for the future queen before running over to her father.
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