Following a prolific acting career that spanned more than seven decades, Dame Margaret Natalie Smith — known more fondly by her countless fans around the world as Maggie Smith — passed away Sept. 27 at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London at 89. 

Smith left an indelible mark on the world of entertainment. She extended her talent from theatre to film to television and became one of the very few people in history to achieve the Triple Crown of Acting, which consists of a Golden Globe, Emmy and Tony, earning copious awards and recognitions throughout her diverse and celebrated career. These included five BAFTA Awards, four Emmy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards, two Academy Awards and one Tony Award.

Smith was born Dec. 28, 1934 in Ilford, England. She began her acting career at age 17, starring as Viola in William Shakespeare’s “Twelfth Night” at the Oxford Playhouse in 1952. It didn’t take long for her versatility, wit and command of the stage to catapult her to stardom. In the 1960s, she cemented herself into the ranks of Britain’s greatest stage actors during a stint at the Royal National Theatre. She soon branched out into film, and in 1970, won her first Academy Award for Best Actress as the title character in “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie,” a beloved British drama.

Smith’s talent was not limited to dramas — some of her most memorable roles were in hit comedies, such as Granny Wendy in Steven Spielberg’s 1991 movie “Hook” and Mother Superior in “Sister Act” in 1992 and its sequel, “Sister Act 2: Back in the Habit,” the following year.

In perhaps one of her most career-defining roles, Smith played Professor Minerva McGonagall in seven of the eight films in the “Harry Potter” franchise from 2001 to 2011. Author J.K. Rowling personally requested Smith for the role. David Yates, director of the series’ final four films, called Smith “acting royalty” in an interview with The Guardian following her death.

“The presence and power of her work never faltered or dimmed, even when she was struggling with some health-related issues on one of the films,” Yates said in the interview. “Her personality and her talent lit up whichever set she graced. I’ve been very lucky to work with a huge number of talented actors, but Maggie hovers somewhere above them all.”

After her work on the “Harry Potter” films, Smith took on another world-renowned role as Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, in the hit British historical drama “Downton Abbey.” Smith’s character became a fan favorite on the show thanks to her sharp wit and classic British humor, and the role won her four Screen Actors Guild Awards, three Primetime Emmy Awards and a Golden Globe Award.

Smith’s legacy was not limited to Hollywood fame. She was also widely admired for her charity work, which included a donation of $2.8 million to rebuild the damaged Court Theatre in Christchurch, New Zealand after an earthquake in 2011. She was also a patron of the International Glaucoma Association (now known as Glaucoma UK) and the Oxford Playhouse, and a vice president of the Royal Theatrical Fund, which provides financial support for injured or ill individuals in the entertainment industry who are unable to work. She has also contributed personal items to auctions to raise funds for animal welfare charity Cats Protection and the Royal Horticultural Society’s Campaign for School Gardening. Most recently, she participated in online streaming events in 2020 and 2021 to support acting-related charities Acting for Others and The Royal Theatrical Fund, respectively.

In her final few years, Smith continued to earn praise and recognition for her roles. She starred in the 2018 documentary “Nothing Like a Dame” (released in the United States as “Tea with the Dames”) alongside fellow actresses and Dames of the British Empire Judi Dench, Eileen Atkins and Joan Plowright. In 2019, she returned to theatre as Brunhilde Pomsel in the one-woman play “A German Life” at the Bridge Theatre in London, which won her a record sixth Evening Standard Award for Best Actress. She was set to star in the film adaptation of the play but unfortunately passed before production could be completed. Her final role was as protagonist Lily Fox in the Irish drama film “The Miracle Club” in 2023.

According to a statement issued by Smith’s two sons, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens, she passed peacefully early in the morning at the hospital.

“An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end,” the statement said. “She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother.”

Several of Smith’s friends and peers took to social media to express their condolences. Among them was His Majesty King Charles III, who released a statement on X offering his and the Royal Family’s respects following Smith’s death.

“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,” Charles said.

Smith is no doubt a national treasure, and she is beloved by film and theatre fans around the world. She leaves behind an illustrious legacy of unforgettable performances that will be shared and cherished for generations, and her influence on the world of acting is immeasurable.