Brave Morecambe teenager's delight at photo with Prince William

Brave teenager Rachel Simpson went for a hospital check-up and returned with the photo of a lifetime - with Prince William.
Rachel and Donna Simpson meet Prince William in Manchester.Rachel and Donna Simpson meet Prince William in Manchester.
Rachel and Donna Simpson meet Prince William in Manchester.

Rachel, from Morecambe, was delighted when the Duke of Cambridge stopped to talk to her about her life-saving bone marrow transplant during a royal walkabout in Manchester.

The Prince was so impressed with Rachel's story he broke his own 'no photos' rule and posed for a snap of himself and Rachel - taken by his bodyguard on her phone.

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"You've been very brave," the Prince told Rachel after enquiring about her treatment and hospital care.

"You get better soon. It's been very nice to meet you."

Afterwards Rachel, who was in Manchester with her mum Donna, said: "It was incredible, he was so lovely.

“He told me he doesn’t normally pose for pictures or selfies but he would break his rule for me."

Heysham High School sixth former Rachel, 16, was in the city for a check-up at the Royal Manchester Children's Hospital.

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She had surgery last year after being diagnosed with a mutated GATA2 gene.

Without the transplant, the rare genetic condition would have led to leukaemia, a form of blood cancer which can kill.

She met the Prince outside Manchester Town Hall during the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge's visit to the city on Friday.

Rachel and Donna went to the Town Square and joined crowds hoping to catch a glimpse of the royal pair.

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They couldn't believe their luck when the Prince stopped for a chat and Rachel even joked with him that she shared the same red hair colour as his brother Prince Harry.

“My mum was very emotional, she was just too shocked to say anything," said Rachel.