King Charles calls Dame Maggie Smith a 'national treasure' in heartfelt tribute

King Charles and Queen Camilla shared a statement in honour of Dame Maggie Smith.

King Charles and Queen Camilla have paid tribute to Dame Maggie Smith following her passing calling her a "national treasure".

The Oscar-winning actress passed away on Friday morning in the hospital, as announced by her sons, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens.

In a heartfelt message, the royals said: "As the curtain comes down on a national treasure, we join all those around the world in remembering with the fondest admiration and affection her many great performances, and her warmth and wit that shone through both off and on the stage."

In an emotional statement, her family remembered her as an "extraordinary mother and grandmother." They added: "An intensely private person, she was surrounded by friends and family at the end.

"She leaves behind two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother. We would like to thank the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and unwavering kindness during her final days. We deeply appreciate all your kind messages and support and ask that you respect our privacy at this time."

Heartbroken fans and friends, including Gyles Brandreth, paid tribute to the beloved actress. Gyles tweeted: "The saddest news: the death of Dame Maggie Smith marks the end of a golden era & a quite extraordinary life. She was a truly great actress, 'one of the greats' & simply the best company: wise, witty, waspish, wonderful. One of a kind in every way & consequently irreplaceable."

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Actor Omid Djalili added: "We’ve lost one of the best today. RIP Maggie Smith."

Dame Maggie won Academy Awards for her roles in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and California Suite. She also received nominations for Othello, Travels with My Aunt, A Room with a View, and Gosford Park. She became a global icon through her roles as Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter series and Violet Crawley in Downton Abbey.

In her later years, Dame Maggie faced several health challenges, including a heart scare in 2012, breast cancer in 2007, and an autoimmune disorder affecting her eyes. Despite these, she never officially retired, with her final film, The Miracle Club, released just last year alongside Kathy Bates and Laura Linney.

Her son Chris Larkin once said in 2016: "There’s no chance of her ever going into a home. She’s one of those who says, ‘Take me to Switzerland if anything starts going south and I can’t remember your names.'"

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