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STORY: Britain's Maggie Smith, one of the most acclaimed actors of her generation with a career ranging from Shakespeare to Harry Potter, has died aged 89, her family said on Friday.

Smith is one of the few actors to win the treble of an Oscar, an Emmy and Tony in seven decades on stage and screen, becoming a star known for her sharp intelligence and waspish wit.

She died in hospital in London early on Friday.

An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end," her sons said in a statement.

Her long career started on the stage in the 1950s.

SMITH: "Doing something on the stage at the National the other night was so... extraordinary."

But in the 21st century was best-known as Professor McGonagall in all seven "Harry Potter" movies,

She found further success in her role as the Dowager Countess in the hit TV series ''Downton Abbey''.

The role seemed tailor-made for Smith as writer of the show Julian Fellowes described in 2019.

"She always gets the line absolutely right. And that as you know, as you can imagine, very, very rewarding to write for because you know you're putting a dart into the hands of someone who will hit the bull's eye every time."

Her first Academy Award nomination came for her turn playing Desdemona in "Othello" in 1965, before going on to win an Oscar for her depiction of an Edinburgh schoolmistress in “The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" in 1969.

Her second Oscar came for her supporting role in the 1978 comedy "California Suite".

Not limited to the silver screen, Smith received critical acclaim on stage for multiple roles on the West End throughout her career.

In 1990 she was knighted by Queen Elizabeth and became a Dame.

British Prime Minister Keir Starmer said Smith is a "true national treasure whose work will be cherished for generations to come."