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Performer Patricia Routledge, best known for portraying Hyacinth Bucket in the popular TV sitcom the series Keeping Up Appearances, has died at the 96 years old, as confirmed by.

Additionally, she starred in Alan Bennett's TV monologues and portrayed the BBC's amateur sleuth Hetty Wainthropp.

"We are deeply saddened to share the passing of Dame Patricia Routledge, who died peacefully in her sleep today surrounded by love."

"At the remarkable age of 96, her love for performing and for engaging with theatergoers never waned, just as younger viewers have continued to find her through her beloved television roles."

The announcement noted: "She will be dearly missed by her inner circle and by her dedicated supporters worldwide."

An Illustrious Career

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

"She is a wonderfully awful character and I enjoyed playing her enormously," the actress remarked.

Keeping Up Appearances aired from the early 1990s, and the following year she was named the nation's most popular actress at the television awards.

She also received recognition in theater and film after launching her acting journey in the theater in the mid-20th century.

After appearances in the West End, she made a name in the US when she received 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 appeared in Shakespeare's histories at the Royal Shakespeare Company, then received an Olivier Award for best actress in a musical for Candide in the 1980s decade.

The 80s also marked her rise as a household name - being given roles by 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 the early 1990s, then headlined the main character as a retired woman on a quest to solve crimes in BBC One's Hetty Wainthropp Investigates between 1996 and 98.

She received an OBE in 1993, a Commander of the British Empire in 2004, and the title of Dame in 2017.

An Enduring Impact

Via her memorable characters, Patricia Routledge brought laughter and entertainment to countless viewers, establishing a extensive body of work that will continue to be celebrated by viewers into the future.