News of Smith’s death was confirmed by her sons, Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin. “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,” they said in a statement.

Beloved British actor Maggie Smith, who stole hearts in her portrayal of Downton Abbey’s Violet Crawley and Harry Potter’s Professor Minerva McGonagall, died Friday morning at the age of 89. Smith died peacefully at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital in London on Sept.

Downton Abbey’s Maggie Smith has died at the age of 89, exactly one year after one of her closes Harry Potter co-stars.