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Star Dame Patricia Routledge, best known for portraying the character Hyacinth Bucket in the beloved television comedy Keeping Up Appearances, has died at the age of 96, her agent announced.

Additionally, she appeared in monologues by Alan Bennett and played the BBC's crime-solving retiree Hetty Wainthropp.

"It is with great sadness to confirm the passing of Dame Patricia Routledge, who left this world peacefully in her sleep recently in the presence of family."

"At the remarkable age of 96, Dame Patricia's dedication to acting and for engaging with theatergoers stayed vibrant, just as new generations have continued to find her through her cherished screen performances."

The statement continued: "She will be dearly missed by those closest to her and by her devoted admirers worldwide."

A Life in the Spotlight

Dame Patricia was most famous as Hyacinth Bucket - pronounced "bouquet" - a comic creation who exemplified the peak of British social climbing.

"She's an absolute monster and I loved portraying her immensely," the performer remarked.

Keeping Up Appearances aired from 1990 to 95, and a year later she was named the nation's most popular actress at the BBC anniversary ceremony.

She also earned praise in theater and film after beginning her professional life in the theatre in the 1950s era.

After appearances in London theater, she established herself in the US when she won the Tony Award for leading musical performer on Broadway in New York for Darling of the Day in the late 1960s.

She proved equally skilled at intense theater as she was at musicals and comedy - she took part in Shakespeare's histories at the prestigious theater company, then received an Olivier Award for leading musical actress for the production Candide in the eighties.

That decade also witnessed her emergence as a true national TV star - being given roles by Victoria Wood in the show As Seen on TV, and writer Alan Bennett in multiple solo performances, including 1988's A Lady of Letters, for which she earned a Bafta nomination.

She earned more award nominations, for the popular sitcom, in the early 1990s, then took the lead in the title role as a retired woman on a mission to investigate mysteries in Hetty Wainthropp between 1996 to 1998.

She was made an OBE in the nineties, a CBE in the 2000s, and a dame in 2017.

A Lasting Legacy

Through her iconic performances, Dame Patricia Routledge delivered humor and delight to countless viewers, creating a extensive collection of performances that is still enjoyed by viewers for generations to come.