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King Charles pays tribute to ‘national treasure’ Dame Maggie Smith as legend dies

King Charles has paid a touching tribute to the late Dame Maggie Smith, who has passed away at the age of 89.

The monarch dubbed the legendary actress a “national treasure”. He said in a statement: “My wife and I were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Dame Maggie Smith.”

“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 on and off the stage.”

READ MORE: Harry Potter stars who have died as Dame Maggie Smith passes away aged 89

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Renowned for her iconic roles in the Harry Potter films and Downton Abbey, Dame Maggie Smith was a two-time Oscar winner. She claimed the prestigious award for her performances in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie in 1970 and California Suite in 1979.

King Charles has dubbed Dame Maggie a “national treasure”
(Image: (Image: Getty))

Her family announced her passing on Friday September 27. They wrote in a statement: “It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith.”, reports the Express.

“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.”

The monarch said he and Queen Camilla were “deeply saddened” to hear of her loss
(Image: AFP via Getty Images)

In 1990, she became a Dame when she was honored by Queen Elizabeth II for her “contribution to the arts,”. She was also made a Companion of the Order of the Companions of Honour for her services to drama in the late Queen’s birthday honours in 2014.

The actress was diagnosed with breast cancer at the age of 74. She admitted she hated chemotherapy, describing it as “hideous” and that it made her ‘feel much worse’ than the disease itself.

Dame Maggie played Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter films
(Image: Warner Brothers)

She said: “I used to go to treatment on my own, and nearly everybody else was with somebody. I wouldn’t have liked that. Why would you want to make anybody sit in those places?”

Bravely, she didn’t let cancer get in the way of her passion as she filmed Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince while going through chemo. She joked getting the wig to fit was easy, saying: “I was like a boiled egg,” she said, according to Tim Teeman.

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Source: Celebrities - dailystar.co.uk


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