Tributes have poured in for Dame Maggie Smith, star of the Harry Potter films and Downton Abbey, who has died aged 89
Leading the tributes, Harry Potter co-star Daniel Radcliffe remembers her "fierce intellect" and "gloriously sharp tongue"
King Charles says he and Queen Camilla are "deeply saddened", while Keir Starmer calls the Oscar-winning actress a "true national treasure"
And fellow Downton Abbey actor Hugh Bonneville says she was a "true legend of her generation" with a "sharp eye, sharp wit and formidable talent"
A statement from Dame Maggie's sons said she died peacefully in hospital on Friday morning
Image source, PA MediaPaying his own personal tribute, Prime Minister Keir Starmer says Dame Maggie "introduced us to new worlds with the countless stories she acted over her long career".
"She was beloved by so many for her great talent, becoming a true national treasure whose work will be cherished for generations to come," he says in a post on X, formerly Twitter.
Felicity Baker
Royal Producer
Image source, PA MediaDame Maggie Smith being introduced to the Queen by actor Sir Laurence Olivier at a 1966 charity premiere of the film Othello at London's Odeon Theatre
Dame Maggie was not only royalty of the acting world, but she also forged strong relationships with the Royal Family.
She was among many celebrities who attended the coronation of King Charles at Westminster Abbey last year.
And as Prince of Wales, the King hosted her at Sandringham including a visit to the Estate Flower Show, with fellow acting legend Dame Judi Dench.
In 2014 she was awarded the Companion of Honour by Queen Elizabeth II for services to drama.
Image source, PA MediaShe was made a member of the Order of the Companions of Honour by the late-monarch nearly 50 years later
Image source, PA MediaDame Maggie Smith started out in the theatre as a prompt girl and understudy at the Oxford Repertory. She once claimed that she never got onto the stage there as not one of the company ever fell ill.
Her company moved to a small theatre in London in 1955 where she attracted the attention of an American producer, Leonard Stillman, who cast her in New Faces, a revue that opened on Broadway in June 1956.
She stood out among the cast of unknowns and, on her return to London, was offered a six month stint in the revue Share My Lettuce opposite Kenneth Williams.
Her first film role was an uncredited part in the 1956 production Child in the House.
Two years later she was nominated for a Bafta as best newcomer in the 1958 melodrama, Nowhere to Go, in which she played a girl who shelters an escaped convict.
She nearly stole the show from Richard Burton in the film The VIPs when she appeared in a pivotal scene with the Welsh star.
One critic noted that "when Maggie Smith is on the screen, the picture moves," and Burton afterwards teasingly described her upstaging of him as "grand larceny."
Later in 1963, Laurence Olivier offered her the part of Desdemona opposite his Othello, at the National Theatre. The production, with the original cast, was made into a film two years later, with Smith being nominated for an Academy Award.
Actor Hugh Bonneville, who starred alongside Dame Maggie Smith in Downton Abbey, pays tribute to her as a "true legend of her generation".
"Anyone who ever shared a scene with Maggie will attest to her sharp eye, sharp wit and formidable talent," he tells the BBC.
Her "magnificent" screen performances will live on, he adds.
Let's look back at a some pictures from Dame Maggie Smith's storied career, which lasted from the 1950s until only last year:
Maggie Smith was a renowned stage actress, here playing Portia in Shakespeare's the Merchant of Venice
Dame Maggie played Epifania in the Millionaires by Bernard Shaw in 1972
She also starred in Alan Bennett's Talking Heads: Bed Among The Lentils in 1988
And she played Betsey Trotwood in the BBC's adaptation of David Copperfield in 1999
Noor Nanji
Culture reporter
Dame Maggie was an actress with incredible range and an esteemed career.
But for younger audiences, it was her role as Professor McGonagall in Harry Potter and the Philosopher's Stone that really made her stand out.
It’s a role she would reprise in all of the subsequent Potter movies, and her role in the franchise brought her to a new generation of film fans.
She was, reportedly, the only performer the author JK Rowling specifically asked for, bringing a small touch of Miss Jean Brodie to Hogwarts.
Dame Maggie Smith brought an incredible range of expression to her roles, winning high praise from directors and fellow actors alike.
It was said of her that she never took a role lightly and would often be pacing around at rehearsals going over her lines while the rest of the cast was on a break.
In a profession notorious for its uncertainties her career was notable for its longevity.
She made her acting debut in 1952 and was still working six decades later having moved from aspiring star to national treasure.
Read more about Dame Maggie in our obituary here.
Here's the full statement from Smith's sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin, who say: "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.
"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."
Actress Dame Maggie Smith, known for the Harry Potter films and Downton Abbey, has died at the age of 89, her family has said.