King Charles brands Dame Maggie Smith a 'national treasure' in moving tribute

King Charles and Queen Camilla have shared a moving tribute to Dame Maggie Smith as they branded her a 'national treasure'

King Charles and Queen Camilla have paid tribute to Dame Maggie Smith.

They said in a moving tribute: "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."

The Oscar-winning actress died in hospital on Friday morning, her sons Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens announced. They remembered her as an "extraordinary mother and grandmother" in their heartbreaking statement. "An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end," they said.

“She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother. 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.”

Her family said that they were "devastated" by her loss and thanked NHS staff at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. Heartbroken fans and friends, including her pal Gyles Brandreth, paid tribute to the star following the news of her death. Dame Maggie won Academy Awards for her roles in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie and California Suite.

She was also nominated for Othello, Travels with My Aunt, Room With A View and Gosford Park. She became a huge icon when she joined the Harry Potter franchise as Professor Minerva McGonagall and then as Violet Crawley in the period drama series Downton Abbey.

Dame Maggie had a few health issues throughout the later years of her life, including a heart scare in 2012, breast cancer in 2007 and an autoimmune disorder that affected her eyes. The talented actress has never spoken of her plans to retire, with her last film - The Miracle Club - released last year and saw her star alongside the likes of Kathy Bates and Laura Linney. Her actor son Chris Larkin 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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