Friends and family have bid a “beautiful goodbye” to Dame Maggie Smith, reflecting on the remarkable life of the beloved Harry Potter and Downton Abbey star as they laid her to rest.
Smith sadly passed away at the age of 89, on Friday, September 27, triggering an outpouring of grief from fans and colleagues alike.
On Monday, November 4, those close to Smith gathered at Mortlake Crematorium to say their final goodbyes in a ceremony described by guests as “full of love” and filled with “brilliant eulogies”.
“Such a beautiful goodbye to Maggie Smith today,” one guest said, as per the Daily Mail.
“It was warm and funny and full of love and brilliant eulogies, with the best hymns [being] belted out by all.
“It was poignant but not sad because hers was a life so richly lived.
“Maggie was as funny and sharp as it gets. One of the greats.”
Born December 28, 1934, Smith’s career began in 1952 as a student performer at the Oxford Playhouse, before making her professional debut on Broadway in New Faces of ’56. Over the years, she rose to prominence alongside Dame Judi Dench, becoming a pillar of British theatre, with notable performances for the National Theatre and the Royal Shakespeare Company.
Smith’s Broadway career was equally remarkable, earning Tony Award nominations for her roles in Private Lives (1975) and Night and Day (1979). In 1990, she took home the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for her performance in Lettice and Lovage.
On screen, Smith garnered two Academy Awards: Best Actress for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie (1969) and Best Supporting Actress for California Suite (1978). She received Oscar nominations for other standout performances in Othello (1965), Travels with My Aunt (1972), A Room with a View (1985), and Gosford Park (2001). Smith also became a beloved figure among younger audiences with her portrayal of Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter series (2001–2011).
Her versatile talent shone through in films like Death on the Nile (1978), Sister Act (1992), The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel (2012), and The Lady in the Van (2015). However, it was her role as Violet Crawley in Downton Abbey (2010–2015) that earned her widespread international acclaim and three Primetime Emmy Awards.
Throughout her career, Smith was honoured with numerous accolades, including a British Film Institute Fellowship (1993), a BAFTA Fellowship (1996), and the Society of London Theatre Special Award (2010). She was also made a dame in 1990 for her services to the arts by the late Queen Elizabeth.
Smith is survived by her two sons and five grandchildren.