Veteran actress Dame Maggie Smith has died at the age of 89, her family has announced.

In a career stretching back to the 1950s, she won two Academy Awards, five BAFTA Awards, four Emmy Awards, three Golden Globe Awards and a Tony Award.

In recent years she was known for Downton Abbey and Harry Potter, preceded by roles on stage and screen including The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, California Suite, Sister Act and Gosford Park.

A statement from her sons Toby Stephens and Chris Larkin said: "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."

Smith is survived by her two sons and five grandchildren.