Dame Maggie Smith, the acclaimed actress known for her roles in "Downton Abbey" and the "Harry Potter" film series, left an estate valued at approximately £16 million following her death in September 2024. Probate records indicate that nearly all of her fortune, including her West Sussex farmhouse, was bequeathed to her two actor sons, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens.
Smith passed away at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital after a prolonged illness at the age of 89. Her illustrious career spanned seven decades, earning her six Academy Award nominations and two wins, for "The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie" in 1969 and "California Suite" in 1978. In recent years, she gained a new generation of fans for her portrayal of Lady Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, in the ITV drama "Downton Abbey," and as Professor Minerva McGonagall in the "Harry Potter" franchise.
Her career also included significant roles in classic Shakespearean plays and numerous Hollywood productions. She was born in Ilford, Essex, on December 28, 1934, and her early talent was recognized with a BAFTA nomination for promising newcomer in 1959. Throughout her career, she received multiple BAFTA nominations and awards for her acting.
Smith's final roles included "The Miracle Club" and "Downton Abbey: A New Era" in 2022. Larkin and Stephens, her sons from her first marriage, confirmed her passing in a joint statement, announcing she died peacefully in hospital on Friday, September 27th. A celebration of her life was later held at Mortlake Crematorium in Richmond, south-west London.
