Carrie Fisher was a Force to be reckoned with. She survived  bipolar disorder, drug dependence and a near-death experience. She was open and candid in sharing her experiences and lessons, sending us Postcards from the Edge of her harrowing and humbling experiences. She’s been our Princess for forty years and counting, even though she was reluctant to have a career in show business because she knew it would break her heart.

Growing up, I had no idea that all that pain and struggle was just under the smooth and placid complexion of Princess Leia. What I saw in Leia is what Fisher brought to the role: determination, ferocity and an inimitable grace. Fisher spoke many times over the years about her connection to Leia, for better or worse, and how much of one was in the other.

She was everything I ever wanted to be: elegant, resolute and generous with a tender heart and a sharp tongue. Many of us have dressed as the Princess of Alderaan over the years for costume parties and conventions, or, if you’re really nerdy like I am, just for fun on a Saturday afternoon. But no matter how lovely the lady, there really is no Leia other than Fisher’s Leia. And in the words of Lor San Tekka, she’ll always be royalty to me.