Harry Potter and Downton Abbey star Maggie Smith has died

On the morning of September 27, the British actress Maggie Smith died — she was 89 years old.

This was reported by her family, the BBC reports.

The sons of the actress noted that she "died peacefully in a hospital" in London. The cause of death was not specified, but it was noted that Maggie Smith was with family and close friends at the end of her life.

She is survived by two sons and five grandchildren. The Smith family says they are devastated by the loss.

Margaret Natalie Smith was born on December 28, 1934 in Essex. She first appeared on the theater stage when she was studying in Oxford.

She starred in several dozen films and TV series. However, she gained the most popularity after the role of Professor Minerva McGonagall in the films about Harry Potter and Violet Crowley in "Downton Abbey".

She is a two-time Oscar winner, a seven-time BAFTA winner and four Emmy Award winners. And Maggie Smith is a Knight of the Order of the Knights of Honor and a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

In 2007, Maggie Smith was diagnosed with breast cancer. She learned about the disease during the filming of the sixth part of "Harry Potter", but still continued to participate in the film.