Dame Maggie Smith dead at 89: Actress laid to rest at private funeral service

Dame Maggie Smith and director Dustin Hoffman at the premiere of their 2012 film Quartet in London. Photo / Getty Images

Dame Maggie Smith was laid to rest at a private funeral in Richmond on Monday.

The late screen legend - whose iconic roles included Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter franchise, Dowager Countess in Downton Abbey, and the titular role in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie - passed away on September 27 at the age of 89, and her loved ones and colleagues gathered at Mortlake Crematorium at 4pm on November 4 to pay their respects and celebrate her “richly lived” life.

As quoted by DailyMail.com, one guest wrote: “Such a beautiful goodbye to Maggie Smith today. It was warm and funny and full of love and brilliant eulogies, with the best hymns belted out by all. It was poignant but not sad because hers was a life so richly lived.

“I knew her because of Robert’s decades of working with her but I adored her.

“Molly was traumatised when she first met her as she knew her as the terrifying housekeeper Mrs Medlock in The Secret Garden! Maggie was as funny and sharp as it gets. One of the greats.”

The news of her death was confirmed by her two sons, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens.

Their statement read: “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.

Maggie Smith as the Dowager Countess in Downton Abbey, a role she says changed her life.

“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.”

After making a name for herself on the stage, Maggie’s film debut came in 1956 in an un-credited role of a party guest in the drama Child in the House, but her screen breakthrough was portraying Bridget Howard in the film Nowhere to Go which earned Maggie the first of her five BAFTA trophies, while in 1996 she was honoured with the prestigious BAFTA Academy Fellowship.

In 1969, she won the Academy Award for Best Actress for her performance in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie.

Her second and final Oscar came in 1978 when she was named Best Supporting Actress for her portrayal of Diana Barrie in Herbert Ross’ anthology film California Suite.

King Charles led tributes to the acclaimed star and said he was “deeply saddened” by the news of her passing.

Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe - who starred as the titular boy wizard from 2001 until 2011 - made his screen debut alongside the late actress on a BBC adaptation of David Copperfield just before they were both cast in the magical franchise, and said he was left “heartbroken” by her death.