Maggie Smith's Tragic Life: First Husband Attempted Suicide, Second Died After 23 Years Of Marriage

Dame Maggie Smith, commonly known as Maggie Smith, was among the greatest actors in the history of Hollywood. With two Academy Awards and after giving timeless acting performances in several movies, it was in 1990 when Maggie Smith was honoured with the honorific title 'Dame' by the British government. Some of her best acting performances were seen in the films, Othello, The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, Travels with My Aunt, California Suite, A Room with a View, Gosford Park, Downton Abbey, My House in Umbria, and many more.

Maggie Smith of the Harry Potter film series, AKA 'Professor Minerva McGonagall' passed away at 89, reportedly due to Graves' disease

All these films cemented Maggie Smith's status as one of the most skilled actors of all time. However, her role as 'Professor Minerva McGonagall' in J.K. Rowling's iconic film series, Harry Potter, made her one of the most-loved Hollywood actors in the world.

How she protected 'Harry Potter' (Daniel Radcliffe) from death eaters, and Maggie Smith's intense duel against 'Professor Severus Snape' (Alan Rickman) are still considered one of the most memorable moments in cinema history.

Maggie Smith was diagnosed with breast cancer when she was filming for Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince

Unfortunately, on September 27, 2024, Maggie Smith passed away at the age of 89, leaving an ever-lasting mark in Hollywood with her illustrious career. The iconic actress breathed her last at London's Chelsea and Westminster Hospital. According to the early reports, Graves' disease is reportedly the main factor behind her demise. Not everyone is aware of the fact that the full-of-life Maggie suffered from breast cancer when she was shooting for Harry Potter and The Half-Blood Prince.

Once, in an old interview with The Times, Maggie Smith opened up about her battle against breast cancer and stated that chemotherapy is worse than cancer. The actress revealed that she was bald at that time and wore a wig to complete the shooting of Half-Blood Prince. With a laugh, Maggie added that while wearing the wig, she looked like a 'boiled egg'. The art of turning pain into a loud laugh is something that Maggie mastered throughout her life and is the reason why she recovered from breast cancer in just two years.

Dame Maggie Smith's love life: First husband attempted suicide, and second husband died after just 23 years of their marriage

However, breast cancer wasn't the only battle she fought in 2016, Maggie Smith underwent hip replacement surgery and also developed glaucoma in one eye. It's incredible the way she carried herself, kept on working, and never let the horrendous pain get the better of her. Well, diseases weren't the only source of pain in her life, as Maggie also had a tragic love life. Although she spent 23 years happily with her second husband, she died without her partner holding her hands in her final moments.

Who was Harry Potter actress, Maggie Smith's first husband, Robert Stephens? Two kids, infidelity, suicide attempt, and divorce

Maggie Smith got married for the first time in her life to Robert Stephens, who was a renowned British actor at that time. The couple got married on June 19, 1967, and in the following years, they welcomed two kids, Chris and Toby. However, in the following years, Robert and Maggie started facing a series of issues in their marriage due to the former's mental health challenges. There came a point in their marriage when Robert's mental health started deteriorating, and it created a bridge between them.

Things took an ugly turn in 1970 when Robert Stephens attempted suicide. Although he failed in ending his life, but the incident acted as the final nail in the coffin of his marriage with Maggie. Not only this, in an interview with The Guardian in 2004, Maggie accused Robert of infidelity. The couple divorced in 1975, and the custody of their sons was given to the doting mother.

Meet Downtown Abbey actress, Maggie Smith's second husband, Beverley Cross, who died 23 years after their marriage

Maggie Smith moved on in life after her sour divorce from her first husband, Robert Stephens. The actress fell in love with Beverley Cross, and the couple got married in 1975. The couple had known each other since their college days in Oxford University. The couple lived a happy married life for the next 23 years but never embraced parenthood. However, they loved their respective kids from their previous marriages so much that they never felt the need to have their biological kids. Unfortunately, Beverley passed away in 1998 at the age of 66 due to aneurysm, and Maggie missed him every single day for the next 26 years before finally meeting him in heaven in September 2024.

No matter how many years pass, Dame Maggie Smith will always be in our memories for the kind of person she was in real life and the contribution she made to cinema. Raise your wands, Potterheads!

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