Anne Hathaway is honoring the man who helped her become royalty, both onscreen and in Hollywood.

The actress has shared a lengthy, lovely post on Facebook honoring Princess Diaries director Garry Marshall, who passed away on Tuesday at age 81.

“Garry was goodness itself,” she wrote. “He was generous. He was kind beyond kind. He was thoughtful and sweet and so funny you would pee yourself a little.”

Hathaway’s star turn in The Princess Diaries — as klutzy ugly duckling turned poised beauty Mia Thermopolis — marked the first of three times she worked with Marshall. The pair also teamed up for the film’s 2004 sequel and for Marshall’s 2010 ensemble rom-com Valentine’s Day.

“I met him when I was a child who thought she was a grown-up; he treated me with grace and patience and respect and always, always love,” she wrote. “I’m so happy I made three films with him. I’m so happy he blessed my son in my belly the last time I saw him (we never think it will be the last time).”

As recently as this past March, Marshall said he and Hathaway were talking about making a third chapter of The Princess Diaries. And while the future of that project is entirely uncertain (now more than ever), Hathaway says she’s determined to keep his legacy alive in a way that has nothing to do with their careers, but everything to do with simply being a good person.

“I couldn’t see it when he was right in front of me, but I see him so clearly now that he has moved on- Garry was a Hero,” she wrote. “Not a run-into-a-burning-building-to-save-a-hampster hero per se, but he looked on the bright side of every situation and was unfailingly warm and loving to everyone he met. How simple. How extraordinary... I’m going to do my best to be just like you.”

Read Hathaway’s full note below (but maybe grab a tissue first).