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Star Patricia Routledge, famous for playing the character Hyacinth Bucket in the classic TV sitcom Keeping Up Appearances, has left us at the 96 years old, according to.

Additionally, she starred in Alan Bennett's TV monologues and portrayed BBC One's crime-solving retiree Hetty Wainthropp.

"We are deeply saddened to confirm the death of Dame Patricia Routledge, who passed away peacefully in her sleep this morning with loved ones near."

"Despite her advanced years, her love for performing and for reaching out to fans stayed vibrant, just as new generations are still enjoying her roles through her beloved television roles."

The statement added: "Her absence will be deeply felt by her family and friends and by her dedicated supporters around the world."

Decades of Performance

Dame Patricia was most famous as the character Hyacinth Bucket - with the affected pronunciation "bouquet" - a funny persona who represented the extremes of affectation and class consciousness.

"Hyacinth is a terrible snob and I had great fun with the role enormously," the performer commented.

The series Keeping Up Appearances ran from 1990 to 95, and the following year she was named the UK's favorite actress at the television awards.

Additionally, she received recognition both live and recorded after starting her career in the theatre in the 1950s era.

Following roles in London theater, she established herself in the United States when she received the Broadway trophy for leading musical performer on New York theater for the musical Darling of the Day in the late 1960s.

Her talents extended at dramatic roles as she was at song-and-dance and humor - she performed in Richard III and Henry V at the RSC, then won an Olivier Award for best actress in a musical for the production Candide in the 1980s decade.

That decade also saw her become a television icon - being given roles by Victoria Wood in the show As Seen on TV, and Alan Bennett in three of his renowned Talking Heads monologues, including 1988's A Lady of Letters, for which she was given a Bafta award nomination.

She earned two further Bafta nominations, for her Hyacinth role, in the early 1990s, then took the lead in the title role as a senior citizen on a quest to solve crimes in the series Hetty Wainthropp Investigates between 1996 to 1998.

She was made an OBE in 1993, a CBE in 2004, and damehood in recent years.

An Enduring Impact

With her iconic performances, Patricia Routledge delivered humor and entertainment to countless viewers, establishing a impressive body of work that is still enjoyed by admirers for generations to come.