Iconic Harry Potter, ‘Downton Abbey’ Star Dies at Hospital: ‘A National Treasure’

Maggie Smith, the Oscar-winning star of “Harry Potter,” “Downton Abbey,” and a string of other shows and movies, is dead at age 89, her family confirmed to BBC on September 27.

Her sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin told BBC: “It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith.”

“She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27th September. An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end. She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother,” they told BBC.

In addition to her roles in “Harry Potter” and “Downton Abbey,” Smith was known for starring in “A Room With a View,” “Gosford Park,” and many other screen credits, according to her IMDb profile.

In the “Downton Abbey” series, Smith played Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, the sharp-tongued character who kept her family in line. Smith played Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter film series.

A cause of death was not released. Fans mourned her loss on X. “Rest in peace to an absolute treasure, Dame Maggie Smith,” wrote one. “We keep getting legends yanked away with no warning. RIP Queen Maggie Smith 💔” wrote another.

Journalist Charles C. W. Cooke wrote, “If there is such a thing as a national treasure, Maggie Smith was one. Just wonderful. She was in so much that I watched from my earliest memories. Hard to imagine a world without her.”

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Maggie Smith’s Sons Thanked the Hospital Staff

In their statement to BBC, Smith’s sons thanked the hospital staff.

“We 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.

“We thank you for all your kind messages and support and ask that you respect our privacy at this time.”

According to The Guardian, Smith’s acting career dated back to the 1950s. “Born in 1934, Smith grew up in Oxford and began acting at the city’s Playhouse theatre as a teenager,” the site reported, adding that she appeared in a “string of stage shows” before turning his interests toward film.

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Maggie Smith Was Remembered for Her ‘Sharp Wit’ & ‘Formidable Talent’

Hugh Bonneville, Smith’s co-star, said, according to BBC, “Anyone who ever shared a scene with Maggie will attest to her sharp eye, sharp wit and formidable talent.”

“She 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,” he said, according to BBC.

“We’re saddened to hear that actor Dame Maggie Smith, best known for the Harry Potter films and Downton Abbey, has died at the age of 89,” the BAFTA Awards wrote.

“Dame Maggie was a legend of British stage and screen, winning five BAFTAs as well as a BAFTA Special Award and BAFTA Fellowship during her highly acclaimed career,” they wrote on X.

A man wrote, “She was the best. I’ve always loved that the British have about 7 or 8 great actors, but they put them in every role. And their careers go on forever because they allow themselves to age gracefully.”

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