King Charles ‘Deeply Saddened’ by Death of Maggie Smith

King Charles has said he and his wife, Queen Camilla, are heartbroken by the death of Dame Maggie Smith , who passed away on Friday aged 89. “My wife and I were deeply saddened to learn of the death of Dame Maggie Smith,” he wrote in a statement. “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.” The Harry Potter and Downton Abbey actress became a Commander of the British Empire in 1969, a dame in 1990, and a member of the Order of the Companions of Honor in 2014. The royal couple has long been close to Smith, with Charles throwing a joint 80th birthday for her and his friend, playwright Sir Ronald Harwood, at Clarence House.

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