Harry Potter star Maggie Smith has passed away in London on Friday, September 27. The British actress was 89. 

Maggie's sons, Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin, confirmed the news in a statement as reported by Variety.

"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," the statement read.

"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," the statement added.

The family of the actress extended their gratitude to the medical staff of the hospital who took care of their mother.

"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," they said.

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Following her death, various actors paid tribute to Maggie including Harry Potter main actor Daniel Radcliffe.

Before starring the Harry Potter franchise, Daniel and Maggie first got to work in the 1999 drama David Copperfield.

"The first time I met Maggie Smith I was 9 years old and we were reading through scenes for David Copperfield, which was my first job," Daniel said in a statement as reported by Deadline.

"I knew virtually nothing about her other than that my parents were awestruck at the fact that I would be working with her."

The actor recalled: "I remember feeling nervous to meet her and then her putting me immediately at ease. She was incredibly kind to me on that shoot, and then I was lucky enough to go on working with her for another 10 years on the Harry Potter films."

Daniel described Maggie as a "fierce intellect, a gloriously sharp tongue, could intimidate and charm in the same instant and was, as everyone will tell you, extremely funny."

"I will always consider myself amazingly lucky to have been able to work with her and to spend time around her on set. The word legend is overused but if it applies to anyone in our industry then it applies to her. Thank you Maggie," Daniel remarked.

Emma Watson, who played Hermione Granger in the Harry Potter movies, also paid tribute to the late actress. 

On her Instagram Stories, Emma wrote: "When I was younger I had no idea of Maggie’s legend - the woman I was fortunate enough to share space with. It is only as I’ve become an adult that l’ve come to appreciate that I shared the screen with a true definition of greatness."

Emma went on: "She was real, honest, funny and self-honouring. Maggie, there were a lot of male professors and by God you held your own. Thank you for all of your kindness. I’ll miss you."

Maggie played the role of Professor Minerva McGonagall in the Harry Potter franchise from 2001 to 2011 which further catapulted her to international fame.

She also gained more global recognition upon playing as Violet Crawley in the British period drama Downton Abbey from 2010 to 2015.

READ: Michael Gambon, actor who played Dumbledore in ‘Harry Potter’, passes away at 82

The British actress started her acting career in theater, receiving Tony Award nominations for Noël Coward's Private Lives in 1975 and Tom Stoppard's Night and Day in 1979. She also won the Tony Award for Best Actress in a Play for Lettice and Lovage in 1990.

Aside from the Harry Potter franchise, her movies included Death on the Nile, Hook, Sister Act, and The Lady in the Van, among others.

She won Academy Awards for Best Actress for The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie in 1969 and Best Supporting Actress for California Suite in 1978.