Inside Dame Maggie Smith's 'beautiful' final goodbye: Downton Abbey star is laid to rest in 'poignant but not sad' funeral with 'brilliant' eulogies and hymns 'belted out by all'

Beloved histrion Dame Maggie Smith was softly laid to remainder successful a 'poignant but not sad' ceremonial connected Monday - much than a period aft her passing.

The intimate service, attended by family, friends and adjacent colleagues, celebrated the beingness of the Oscar-winning histrion who died successful infirmary successful September aft an unthinkable 70-year vocation which earned her planetary acclaim.

Her decease sparked an outpouring of grief astir the world, with galore reminiscing connected her relation as the quick-witted Professor McGonagall successful Harry Potter and arsenic the formidable Dowager Countess successful Downton Abbey.

Born successful Ilford, Essex, connected December 28, 1934, Dame Maggie passed distant peacefully successful infirmary aged 89 connected September 27, with her sons revealing that she was 'with friends and family' until the end.

On Monday, the legendary precocious actress' inspirational beingness was celebrated at Mortlake Crematorium successful Richmond, southbound westbound London, wherever mourners 'belted retired hymns' and listened to 'brilliant eulogies'.

Guests were invited to get astatine 4pm, wherever they were welcomed into a ceremonial described by 1 attendee arsenic 'beautiful,' warm, and afloat of laughter.

'Such a beauteous goodbye to Maggie Smith today,' 1 impermanent said. 'It was lukewarm and comic and afloat of emotion and superb eulogies, with the champion hymns bringing belted retired by all. It was poignant but not bittersweet due to the fact that hers was a beingness truthful richly lived.

'I knew her due to the fact that of Robert's decades of moving with her but I adored her.

'Molly was traumatised erstwhile she archetypal met her arsenic she knew her arsenic the terrifying housekeeper Mrs Medlock successful The Secret Garden! Maggie was arsenic comic and crisp arsenic it gets. One of the greats.'

The bid of work featured a poignant tribute to the precocious actress, with a puerility photograph of Dame Maggie connected the front, and a aboriginal representation of her smiling connected the back. 

The memorial paper work 'In loving representation of Dame Margaret Natalie Smith.' 

Dame Maggie passed distant connected 27 September astatine Chelsea and Westminster Hospital, aft a prolonged illness.

Although she was calved successful eastbound London, Dame Maggie spent her last years successful West Sussex.

Her ceremonial was held successful a determination that besides serves arsenic the last resting spot for respective notable figures, including erstwhile Prime Minister Margaret Thatcher, her hubby Dennis, and comedian Tommy Cooper.

Neither of the Oscar winner's ex-husbands are buried astatine Mortlake. 

Dame Maggie Smith, champion known for her iconic relation arsenic Professor McGonagall successful the Harry Potter films, was celebrated arsenic 'a existent legend' of some signifier and surface pursuing her passing astatine the property of 89.

Her heartbroken sons, Chris Larkin and Toby Stephens, announced her decease 'with large sadness' successful an affectional statement.

They paid tribute to their 'extraordinary' mother, an 'intensely backstage person' who was 'with friends and household astatine the end'.

Dame Maggie leaves down 2 sons and 5 grandchildren.

Tributes poured successful from crossed the country, with heartfelt messages from King Charles, Prime Minister Keir Starmer and galore of her long-time co-stars.

The King described her arsenic 'a nationalist treasure,' adding: 'My woman and I were profoundly saddened to larn of her passing. 

'As the curtain falls connected this nationalist treasure, we articulation radical astir the satellite successful remembering with the fondest admiration and affection her galore singular performances, arsenic good arsenic the warmth and wit she shared some connected and disconnected the stage.'

Meanwhile, Sir Keir Starmer praised her, calling her 'beloved by truthful galore for her bonzer talent.'

Daniel Radcliffe, her Harry Potter co-star, fondly remembered her 'fierce intellect' and 'gloriously crisp tongue.'

Miriam Margolyes, different adjacent person and collaborator, called her 'the champion of the best,' highlighting her unsocial blend of 'ferocity, a glint of mischief, delight and tenderness.'

Margolyes told BBC News: 'I've been successful awe of her, arsenic person each her colleagues. I saw the kindness she had, but besides however perfectly terrifying she could beryllium erstwhile she wanted to be.'

Dame Maggie's vocation of much than fractional a period brought her designation astir from the beginning, and she received an aboriginal Bafta motion for promising newcomer successful 1959 for the transgression movie Nowhere To Go.

In 2010 she was cardinal to the occurrence of ITV bid Downton Abbey, successful her Emmy-award winning relation arsenic the acerbic Violet Crawley, Dowager Countess of Grantham, which she continued to play successful the films.

The prima was an internationally recognised histrion for overmuch of her beingness aft playing the fanatical teacher Jean Brodie successful The Prime Of Miss Jean Brodie.