Harry Potter star Dame Maggie Smith dies aged 89

Harry Potter star Dame Maggie Smith has died aged 89.

The legendary actor was best known for her iconic role as Professor McGonagall in the hit Harry Potter film series.

Maggie Smith played Professor McGonagall in Harry Potter (Warner Bros.)

Her sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin issued the following statement: "It is with great sadness we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith.

"She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday 27th September. An intensely private person, she was with friends and family at the end. She leaves two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother.

"We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff at the Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and unstinting kindness during her final days.

"We thank you for all your kind messages and support and ask that you respect our privacy at this time."

Dame Maggie Smith pictured just last year in July attending the Wimbledon Tennis Championships in London, England (Photo by Karwai Tang/WireImage)

Smith was born in in 1934 and grew up in the English city of Oxford - where she began acting as a teenager.

She appeared in numerous plays, including a musical comedy titled Share My Lettuce back in 1957.

But it wasn't until the following year that she debuted in film, through Nowhere to Go, a thriller released in 1958 - where it was clear she had paved a name for herself early on in her career, as she was nominated for best supporting actress at the Baftas.

Fast-forward 11 years, in 1969, she was the lead in the The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, which was a screen adaptation of the Muriel Spark novel.

Her performance as a Scottish school teacher who admired Italian dictator Benito Mussolini, landed her an Oscar for best actress in 1970.

Smith with her second Oscar for the Best Supporting Actress which she picked up in 1979 for her role in California Suite (Getty/Bettmann)

Three years later, she was nominated for the prestigious award again although she didn't take it home, but Smith didn't need to wait too long to scoop her second Oscar - in 1979.

This time, she won best support actress for her role in California Suite.

Smith won a total of two Oscars, while being nominated on four other occasions, as well as taking home a staggering eight Bafta awards.

The late Queen Elizabeth II made Smith a Dame back in 1990 for her contributions to the Arts, and 24 years later, in 2014, she was awarded a Member of the Order of the Companions of Honour for services to drama.

Larkin and Stephens are her only two children.