Legendary Actress Dame Maggie Smith Passes Away at 89

British acting icon Dame Maggie Smith has passed away at the age of 89. The legendary actress died peacefully in hospital on Friday, 27 September, her sons Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens confirmed in a statement.

“It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith,” the statement read. “She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning.”

Dame Maggie, who began her acting career as a teenager in Oxford, earned widespread acclaim for her role in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, which won her an Academy Award in 1969.

In more recent years, she captured the hearts of a new generation of fans as the sharp-witted Dowager Countess in Downton Abbey and Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter film series.