Maggie Smith has left us: the acclaimed actress of “Harry Potter” and “Downton Abbey” dies

British actress Maggie Smit, known for her roles in the Harry Potter films and the Downton Abbey series, among others, died on Friday at the age of 89, her family reported in the morning.

In a statement, her sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin said their mother “passed away peacefully” in hospital on Friday morning.

“It is with great sadness that we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith,” her two sons wrote, referring to her by the title “Dame” she received from Queen Elizabeth II in 1990 and which is the female equivalent of “Sir.”