She believed saying goodbye to her family in this life meant she would say hello to her deceased mother in the next.

And so nine-year-old Diamond Marshall faced her death with a bravery few know, because Memory Marshall was waiting for her on the other side — a loving mommy ready to welcome her cancer-free daughter to the afterlife.

“They explained to her she was going to go and meet her mom on the other side,” said Melanie Jimmy, Diamond’s aunt.

“Diamond showed a lot of interest in Memory over the past couple of weeks — her mom made a lot of videos for her before she passed away, and Diamond watched those, and she had lots of questions.”

On Monday night, the little girl who’d once charmed a future Queen of England passed away, her life-long battle with cancer finally over.

But what a life it was.

Though she’d lost her mom to cancer at the age of two and then had to cope with a rare form of adrenal cancer herself, Diamond was an positive inspiration of a kid, who turned medical tribulations into a chance to experience as much fun as she could.

“She told me she liked the flowers a lot,” Diamond told this columnist, minutes after the then six-year-old charmer met Prince William and the Duchess of Cambridge, melting hearts around the world when she gave Kate an impromptu hug.

It was on their 2011 visit to Calgary when a beaming Duchess of Cambridge watched as tiny Diamond ran up to greet her, the official flowers forgotten as the little girl wrapped her arms around the future queen.

It was the hug watched around the world, and one Kate and William never forgot, their Royal Highnesses sending Diamond their congratulations when her cancer went into remission shortly before Christmas that same year.

News of Diamond’s death reached the Royals in New York, where they are on tour.

“The Duke and Duchess of Cambridge were sad to learn this news,” said a spokesman for Kensington Palace.

Diamond’s most recent battle with cancer began last month.

This time she was fighting terminal osteosarcoma.

But the devastating diagnosis didn’t slow Diamond down, and her aunt says the past few weeks were a whirlwind of activity for her niece.

Her parents Lyall and Danielle were always very honest with Diamond, said Jimmy, and that acceptance led to Diamond picking the hymns that will be played at her funeral.

There were sad moments, but her final weeks mainly focused on fun.

“She got a lot things done on her bucket list,” said Jimmy.

That included her first communion and a party in her honour attended by Harvey the Hound, before watching the Calgary Flames play from the team’s official box.

Hockey was a big part of Diamond’s life, and she helped inspire the first Hockey Marathon For Kids, which raises funds for the Alberta Children’s Hospital.

“She was such a huge inspiration for every one of us, she always had a smile, and she touched people in such different ways,” said Scott Logan, one of the marathon’s organizers.

“It’s such a huge loss.”

Obviously, Diamond’s passing is being felt most by the family who fought by her side, as cancer led her on a cruel roller coaster of hope and despair.

“It is with heavy hearts that we announce the peaceful passing of Diamond Ann Marshall, who died from an aggressive form of cancer just before 7 p.m. on Dec. 8th, 2014,” said her family, in a statement issued Tuesday.

“We are incredibly saddened, yet relieved that Diamond is no longer suffering.”

Diamond’s family praised the girl’s courage.

“We are incredibly thankful for the time we had with Diamond and we will cherish the memories we made with her,” they said.

“In her fight against cancer, Diamond was a warrior but she carried herself with the grace and dignity of a princess. She touched many people along the way and her story inspired so many.”

michael.platt@sunmedia.ca

On Twitter: @SUNMichaelPlatt