🔗 Share this article Beloved Actress Dame Patricia Routledge, Legendary for Keeping Up Appearances, Dies at the Age of 96 Star Dame Patricia Routledge, best known for embodying the character Hyacinth Bucket in the classic television comedy the series Keeping Up Appearances, has left us at the 96, her agent announced. Beyond that, she featured in monologues by Alan Bennett and took on the role of BBC One's amateur detective Hetty Wainthropp Investigates. "We mournfully announce to announce the loss of Dame Patricia Routledge, who left this world peacefully in her sleep this morning in the presence of family." "At the remarkable age of 96, Dame Patricia's passion for her work and for connecting with live audiences remained strong, just as younger viewers are still enjoying her roles through her beloved screen performances." Her agent added: "She leaves a void by those closest to her and by her devoted admirers around the world." Dame Patricia in the role of Hyacinth Bucket alongside Clive Swift playing Richard, her beleaguered husband in the series Keeping Up Appearances An Illustrious Career Dame Patricia was most famous as Hyacinth Bucket - who insisted it be said "bouquet" - a funny persona who embodied the height of affectation and class consciousness. "Hyacinth is a terrible snob and I enjoyed playing her immensely," the star remarked. This classic sitcom ran from 1990 until 1995, and a year later she was named the nation's most popular actress at the BBC anniversary ceremony. Beyond television, she found acclaim on stage as well as screen after starting her career in the theatre in the mid-20th century. After appearances in the West End, she made a name in the US when she was awarded the Tony Award for best lead actress in a musical on Broadway for the musical Darling of the Day in 1968. She proved equally skilled at intense theater as she was at song-and-dance and humor - she appeared in Richard III and Henry V at the prestigious theater company, then received an Olivier Award for outstanding musical performance for the production Candide in the eighties. The 1980s also marked her rise as a television icon - landing appearances by Victoria Wood in her comedy series, and writer Alan Bennett in multiple solo performances, including her Bafta-nominated role, for which she earned a Bafta nomination. She earned two further Bafta nominations, for the popular sitcom, in 1992 and 1993, then took the lead in the central part as a older lady on a mission to investigate mysteries in Hetty Wainthropp between 1996 to 1998. She was honored with an Order of the British Empire in the nineties, a CBE in the 2000s, and the title of Dame in recent years. A Remarkable Life With her unforgettable roles, Dame Patricia Routledge brought laughter and entertainment to countless viewers, leaving behind a impressive career portfolio that remains cherished by admirers for generations to come.