Maggie Smith dies: Beloved 'Harry Potter' and 'Downton Abbey' star was 89

Harry Potter and Downton Abbey star Dame Maggie Smith, passed away in a hospital on the morning of Friday, September 27, aged 89.

The sad news was announced by her sons Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens, who said that she was surrounded by friends and family in her last moments.

In their statement, the duo said: “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,” the statement continued.

“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,” it added.

“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,” concluded the statement.

Oscar-winning actress Maggie Smith had a remarkable several decades-long acting career in theater, film and TV. She was known by wider audiences for her role as Professor Minerva McGonagall in Harry Potter and Downton Abbey’s Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham.