Dame Maggie Smith, Downtown Abbey and Harry Potter star, died aged 89, her family confirms.\n

A two time Oscar winner and a legend of the stage and screen, Smith was regarded one of the greatest actors of her time. She started her acting career on stage at the Oxford Playhouse and went on to make a name for herself and remained under the limelight for a stunning number of years.\n

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The news of her sudden passing was shared by her two sons, Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin.
\n\u201cShe died quietly this morning, Friday, September 27, in the hospital. A deeply private individual, she passed away surrounded by loved ones,\u201d their joint statement read.\n

\u201cWe would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and unstinting kindness during her final days,\u201d it continued.\n

\u201cWe thank you for all your kind messages and support and ask that you respect our privacy at this time,\u201d Smith\u2019s sons concluded.\n

Throughout her long and rich career, Smith appeared in feature films such as Sister Act, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and more recently Thaddeus O\u2019Sullivan\u2019s The Miracle Club.\n

Back in 2009, Smith disclosed with the public that she had been diagnosed with breast cancer. She opened up about receiving treatments and filming scenes as Professor Minerva McGonagall in Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince at the same time.\n

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\u201cI used to go to treatment on my own, and nearly everybody else was with somebody,\u201d she told Tim Teeman. \u201cI wouldn\u2019t have liked that. Why would you want to make anybody sit in those places?\u201d\n

She had also opened up about her own mortality. \u201cI was relieved to be the age I was because by now you feel like it\u2019s all over anyway.\n

\u201cThat\u2019s why I hated seeing young people receiving treatment [at the Royal Marsden Hospital, London]. I couldn\u2019t bear that, it didn\u2019t seem fair. To be honest, you feel so ghastly you wouldn\u2019t mind dying a lot of the time.\u201d\n

Smith was married twice. Her second husband, screenwriter Beverley Cross, whom she considered the great love of her life, passed away in 1998, leaving her mourning his loss until her own passing.\n

She wasn\u2019t known as someone who was spotted in public often, so her last public appearance left her fans startled.
\nIt was at the Wimbledon men\u2019s singles final that Smith was spotted in public. Dressed elegantly, in a navy blue shirtdress with a stylish dot pattern on it accessorized with a blue jacket and black leather heels, she stunned many.\n

The photos of her and her stunning choice of outfit, which she had completed with a pink lipstick, received plenty of comments. \u201cSo elegant!\u201d one person commented. \u201cYou [look] so beautiful,\u201d another added.\n

Following her passing, tributes came pouring in. Prime Minister Keir Starmer was among the first to share his condolences, saying Smith \u201cwas beloved by so many for her great talent, becoming a true national treasure whose work will be cherished for generations to come.\u201d\n

Hugh Bonneville, fellow Downtown Abbey co-star, said: \u201cAnyone who ever shared a scene with Maggie will attest to her sharp eye, sharp wit and formidable talent.\n

\u201cShe was a true legend of her generation and thankfully will live on in so many magnificent screen performances. My condolences to her boys and wider family.\u201d\n

Smith\u2019s passing represents an immense loss for the acting world. May she rest in peace.\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

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