Duchess of Cambridge: Stenhousemuir schoolgirl Mila Sneddon, 6, receives handwritten letter from Kate

Six-year-old Mila has battled to overcome acute lymphoblastic leukaemia having first being diagnosed in November 2019.

For over two years she underwent gruelling rounds of chemotherapy but always managed to smile throughout her treatment.

Her family’s rollercoaster journey continued during lockdown with dad Scott exiling himself from Mila, his wife Lynda and elder daughter Jodi, 17, for over seven weeks to keep the youngster safe.

A poignant photograph of him kissing Mila through the window of their Stenhousemuir home captured the hearts of the nation – including the Duchess of Cambridge who featured it as one of 100 images in her lockdown book, Hold Still.

The photo touched the Royal so deeply that she not only called Mila but also met with her twice last year – once at Holyrood Palace and again at a Christmas community carol service held in Westminster Abbey.

Now Mila’s mum has revealed the youngster has received a letter from the Duchess who she refers to as her “best friend”.

She posted on Twitter that her daughter had received a “beautiful handwritten letter” and it was a “beautiful keepsake” for Mila to look back on for years to come.

Lynda added it was “a lovely gesture”.

When the family met the Duke and Duchess of Cambridge in Edinburgh 12 months ago, Kate and Mila both wore pink dresses as they had agreed.

The Duchess had previously told Lynda, how she and the rest of the judging panel deciding on the 100 lockdown images felt the Shielding Mila image was “such a powerful one”.

“It tells the story of this particular time and a very personal story to you, so thank you very for much for sharing it,” Kate said.

Last month, Mila received a hero’s welcome from pupils at Stenhousemuir Primary School.

Over 400 youngsters lined the playground to give her a guard of honour, clapping and waving specially prepared banners to honour her courage.

Then Mila rang a bell – a time honoured tradition that normally takes place in hospital to mark the end of cancer treatment.