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Actress Dame Patricia Routledge, best known for playing Hyacinth Bucket in the popular television comedy Keeping Up Appearances, has died at the 96 years old, her agent announced.

Beyond that, she featured in Alan Bennett's celebrated solo performances and portrayed BBC One's amateur sleuth Hetty Wainthropp Investigates.

"It is with great sadness to share the death of Dame Patricia Routledge, who died peacefully in her sleep today in the presence of family."

"Despite her advanced years, Dame Patricia's dedication to acting and for engaging with theatergoers never waned, just as modern audiences keep discovering her work through her cherished TV characters."

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

A Life in the Spotlight

Dame Patricia was best known as Hyacinth Bucket - pronounced "bouquet" - a comic creation who exemplified the peak of affectation and class consciousness.

"She's an absolute monster and I enjoyed playing her immensely," the performer said.

Keeping Up Appearances aired from the early 1990s, and a year later she was named the most beloved female performer at the BBC anniversary ceremony.

Additionally, she earned praise in theater and film after launching her acting journey in the theatre in the mid-20th century.

With performances in the West End, she built a reputation in the America when she received the Broadway trophy for leading musical performer on Broadway in New York for Darling of the Day in 1968.

Her talents extended at dramatic roles as she was at song-and-dance and humor - she performed in Shakespeare's histories at the prestigious theater company, then won an Olivier Award for best actress in a musical for the production Candide in the 1980s.

The 80s also marked her rise as a true national TV star - being given roles by Victoria Wood in As Seen on TV, and Alan Bennett in three of his renowned Talking Heads monologues, including her Bafta-nominated role, for which she earned a British Academy nomination.

She earned additional Bafta nods, for Keeping Up Appearances, in the early 1990s, then headlined the title role as a older lady on a journey into detective work in the series Hetty Wainthropp Investigates between 1996 to 1998.

She was made an Order of the British Empire in 1993, a Commander of the British Empire in the 2000s, and the title of Dame in 2017.

A Lasting Legacy

Via her unforgettable roles, Dame Patricia Routledge delivered humor and delight to audiences worldwide, creating a rich body of work that is still enjoyed by fans into the future.