King Charles mourns Maggie Smith after British actress dies at 89

King Charles III is mourning the loss of legendary British actress Maggie Smith, who died early Friday at 89.
In a statement from the monarch and his wife Queen Camilla posted to X, the pair paid their respects to the countrywoman who became a two-time Academy Award-winning actress and garnered several other acting accolades.
“My wife and I were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Dame Maggie Smith. As the curtain comes down on a national treasure, we join all those around the world in remembering with the fondest admiration and affection her many great performances, and her warmth and wit that shone through both on and off the stage,” Charles wrote.
Dame Maggie Smith, ‘Downton Abbey’ starand Professor McGonagall in ‘Harry Potter,’ dies at 89
The monarch signed the message about Smith as “Charles R.”
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The death of the trailblazing British actress, best known for her starring roles in “Harry Potter” and “Downton Abbey,” was first announced in a statement made by her two sons Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens. The brothers said Smith died Friday morning at a London hospital.
“She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother,” the siblings said in a statement, thanking “the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and unstinting kindness during her final days.”
The “Downtown Abbey” cast members broke their silence on the loss of the famed British actress Friday.
Smith played Lady Violet Crawley on the PBS miniseries. Her onscreen character died of an illness in the final minutes of “Downton Abbey: A New Era,” a second spinoff film based on the early 1900s British period drama, which ended its six-season run in 2015. 
“Downton” star Michelle Dockery, who played Lady Mary Crawley on the program, told People in a statement on Friday that “there was no one quite like Maggie. I feel tremendously lucky to have known such a maverick. She will be deeply missed and my thoughts are with her family.”
Hugh Bonneville, who also starred on the show, said that “anyone who ever shared a scene with Maggie will attest to her sharp eye, sharp wit and formidable talent” and added that “she was a true legend of her generation and thankfully will live on in so many magnificent screen performances. My condolences to her boys and wider family.”
Oscar winner and “The View” moderator Whoopi Goldberg mourned Smith’s loss with an Instagram picture of the pair, writing that her “Sister Act” co-star “was a great woman and a brilliant actress. I still can’t believe I was lucky enough to work with the ‘one-of-a-kind’. My heartfelt condolences go out to the family…RIP.”
Actor Rob Lowe wrote that he was “saddened” by Smith’s death and said working with his “Suddenly, Last Summer” co-star was an “unforgettable experience,” adding that “sharing a two-shot was like being paired with a lion. She could eat anyone alive, and often did. But funny, and great company. And suffered no fools. We will never see another. God speed, Ms. Smith!”
In an interview with The Associated Press, actress Helen Mirren told the AP that “she was one of the greatest actresses of the past century, without a doubt” and said “it’s a very sad day for the whole culture of theater and cinema in England.”
Contributing: Patrick Ryan