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Performer Patricia Routledge, famous for playing Hyacinth Bucket in the beloved television comedy Keeping Up Appearances, has passed away at the 96 years old, as confirmed by.

Beyond that, she starred in Alan Bennett's TV monologues and played BBC One's crime-solving retiree Hetty Wainthropp Investigates.

"We mournfully announce to share the passing of Dame Patricia Routledge, who died peacefully in her sleep this morning with loved ones near."

"Even at 96-years old, her dedication to acting and for engaging with theatergoers stayed vibrant, just as modern audiences keep discovering her work through her cherished screen performances."

The announcement added: "She will be dearly missed by her inner circle and by her loyal fans globally."

An Illustrious Career

Dame Patricia was best known as the character Hyacinth Bucket - who insisted it be said "bouquet" - a humorous character who embodied the height of affectation and class consciousness.

"She is a wonderfully awful character and I had great fun with the role enormously," the actress remarked.

The series Keeping Up Appearances ran from 1990 to 95, and a year later she was named the UK's favorite actress at the BBC's 60th anniversary awards.

Beyond television, she found acclaim on stage as well as screen after starting her career in the stage in the 1950s era.

With performances in the West End, she established herself in the United States when she won the Tony Award for best lead actress in a musical on New York theater for Darling of the Day in the late 1960s.

She proved equally skilled at intense theater as she was at musicals and comedy - she appeared in Richard III and Henry V at the prestigious theater company, then won an Olivier Award for outstanding musical performance for the production Candide in the 1980s decade.

The 1980s also witnessed her emergence as a television icon - landing appearances by comedian Victoria Wood in As Seen on TV, and Alan Bennett in multiple solo performances, including the 1988 piece A Lady of Letters, for which she earned a Bafta award nomination.

She received additional Bafta nods, for the popular sitcom, in 1992 and 1993, then took the lead in the central part as a older lady on a quest to solve crimes in Hetty Wainthropp between the late 1990s.

She received an Order of the British Empire in the nineties, a CBE in 2004, and the title of Dame in 2017.

A Remarkable Life

With her memorable characters, Dame Patricia Routledge delivered humor and delight to millions, creating a extensive body of work that is still enjoyed by fans into the future.