4-year-old battling leukemia crowned a princess

It was an enchanting day for a 4-year-old California girl with leukemia when she was crowned a princess, thanks to the Make-A-Wish foundation.

Alyla Stamp was given the royal treatment Friday when she was crowned Sacramento's Princess, a role her mom said she was meant to play.

"She's always liked dressing up and being the center of attention," her mom Savanna Stamp told InsideEdition.com. "She loves wearing tiaras, and lipstick and all her jewelry."

Alyla, who's favorite Disney princesses are Elsa from Frozen, Ariel from The Little Mermaid and Jasmine from Aladdin, started her day with a make-over and a gown, courtesy of Macy's, before a carriage arrived to whisk her away to her coronation ceremony.

Her grandmother, who was flown in from Nebraska, was there to crown Alyla.

Following an afternoon of performances by the Sacramento Ballet, Alyla's royal duties began right away. She waved to her royal subjects as she led the Santa Parade, and encouraged people to write letters to Santa for Macy's National Believe Day.

To cap off her hard day's work, Prince Charming, played by the Sacramento Ballet's Anthony Cannarella, introduced himself as her escort.

"At first she wasn't having it — she was hesitant to him," her mom joked. "But she warmed up to him at the end. He also gave her a sweet little locket with a note, 'Always follow your heart.'"

She said that although Princess Alyla's energy dwindled toward the end of the day, she is in much higher spirits than she was last summer, when she was diagnosed with leukemia.

"She would have really bad fevers that wouldn't break, and she was randomly throwing up. Her leg pain got so bad she couldn't walk," Stamp said. They were admitted into the emergency room three times before doctors referred her to a specialist, and delivered the bad news.

Alyla has been receiving regular chemotherapy treatments since her diagnosis, and has been in and out of the hospital, but Stamp is happy to report her daughter's health has improved significantly.

"She's doing so much better," Stamp said. "She stands, she's more active now, she's going to preschool, and she's in ballet."

Doctors estimate Alyla will be well enough to stop treatments by next year.

SEE MORE