MAGGIE Smith has spent the last two decades of her life missing her husband Beverley Cross after she made a heartbreaking confession following his death.
The couple were married for 23 years before Beverley tragically passed away in 1998.
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Maggie Smith and her husband Beverley Cross who died in 1998. Credit: Alamy
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Couple in 1987 after rekindling Credit: Rex
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Maggie Smith, who played Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter films, has passed away
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Her sons said she died in hospital this morning
In a 2013 interview with 60 Minutes, Maggie spoke briefly about grieving the loss of her husband.
She said, “I don’t know. It seems a bit pointless. To go alone and have no one to share it with.”
They first met in 1952 in Oxford, where Beverley was a student.
It was love at first sight for the playwright when he saw 18-year-old Maggie, even though he was married to another.
Unable to shake the feeling that Maggie was the real deal, Beverley divorced his wife and quickly proposed to the legend.
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But the divorce took longer than expected.
Despite Beverley begging Maggie to wait for him, she married actor Robert Stephens.
During their eight-year marriage, Maggie and Robert had two children before breaking up in 1975.
She quickly rekindled the fire with Beverley and the rest is history – with him helping raise her two sons, Chris and Toby.
After finding Beverley again, she said: “I’m incredibly happy. When you meet again someone you were supposed to marry in the first place, it’s like a script.
“That kind of luck is too good to be true.”
Maggie sadly passed away today aged 89 after an incredible 70-year career on stage and screen.
Her sons Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens said she died in hospital early this morning.
In a statement released by their publicists, they said: “It is with great sadness that we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith.
“She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday September 27th.
“A very private person, she was with friends and family at the end.
“He leaves behind 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 Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and endless 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.”
She was born Margaret Natalie Smith in December 1934 in Ilford, East London, to a Scottish secretary mother and a pathologist father.
The star moved to Oxford when she was four after her father got a job at the university, and later left school to study acting at the Oxford Playhouse.
At just 17, Maggie landed her first role as Viola in Twelfth Night before appearing in Cinderella, Rookery Nook and The Government Inspector.
In 1957, she was cast opposite Kenneth Williams in the musical comedy Share My Lettuce.
This led to regular appearances in a number of plays at the Old Vic, including The Rehearsal and Mary, Mary.
While starring in The Double Dealer, Maggie caught the eye of Laurence Olivier who invited her to join his National Theater Company.
Maggie next appeared opposite the actor in Othello, with the pair known for their professional rivalry.
In 1958, the actress made her screen debut in Nowhere to Go, but it wasn’t until her Oscar-winning performance in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie that she gained international fame 11 years later.
Full family statement
“It is with great sadness that we have to announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith.
“She passed away peacefully in hospital early this morning, Friday September 27th.
“A very private person, she was with friends and family at the end.
“He leaves behind 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 Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and endless 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.”
Maggie continued to appear on stage in numerous plays – winning a Tony Award for her role in the Broadway comedy Private Lives.
During this time, she won her second Academy Award for Best Supporting Actress for The California Suite alongside Michael Caine.
Maggie received further nominations for her roles in A Room with a View and Gosford Park.
She appeared in a number of comedies, including Sister Act, The Best Exotic Marigold Hotel and Quartet.
In 2001, Maggie took on the role of Hogwarts Vice Headmistress Professor McGonagall in the Harry Potter film series.
She played the Transfiguration teacher in seven out of eight films until 2011.
Maggie won three Emmys for her portrayal of Violet Crawley, the Dowager Countess of Grantham, in Downton Abbey.
The actress became a fan favorite for her scathing criticism during the five-year run and two subsequent films.
Away from the screen, Maggie married actor Robert Stephens in June 1967.
The couple had two sons, actors Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens, before divorcing eight years later,
Maggie later married playwright Beverley Cross in 1975 before his death in 1998.
She has previously spoken about her health battles, including treatment for Graves’ disease in 1988.
In 2007, it was revealed that Maggie was diagnosed with breast cancer, but made a full recovery.
The actress was made a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in 1990, and was named a Companion of Honor (CH) in 2014.
Speaking about her previous glittering career, Maggie said: “Honest to God, I have no idea where the desire comes from [to act] came from. The weather was so awful and we didn’t go to the theater.
“I got into terrible trouble once because the neighbors took me to the cinema on Sundays, but I had a wonderful teacher, Dorothy Bartholomew, who also taught Miriam Margolyes, and who encouraged me.”
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