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Performer Patricia Routledge, famous for embodying Hyacinth Bucket in the classic TV sitcom the series Keeping Up Appearances, has passed away at the 96, according to.

Additionally, she appeared in monologues by Alan Bennett and took on the role of the BBC's amateur sleuth Hetty Wainthropp.

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

"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 screen performances."

The statement added: "Her absence will be deeply felt by her family and friends and by her loyal fans globally."

An Illustrious Career

Patricia Routledge was most famous as the character Hyacinth Bucket - with the affected pronunciation "bouquet" - a comic creation who exemplified the height of affectation and class consciousness.

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

Keeping Up Appearances was broadcast from the early 1990s, and soon after she was voted the UK's favorite actress at the television awards.

She also found acclaim both live and recorded after starting her career in the theater in the mid-20th century.

Following roles in the West End, she built a reputation in the America when she received the Tony Award for leading musical performer on Broadway for the musical Darling of the Day in the late 1960s.

She proved equally skilled at dramatic roles as she was at musicals and comedy - she took part in Shakespeare's histories at the RSC, then won an Laurence Olivier Award for best actress in a musical for Candide in the 1980s decade.

That decade also witnessed her emergence as a television icon - landing appearances by comedian Victoria Wood in her comedy series, and Alan Bennett in multiple solo performances, including her Bafta-nominated role, for which she earned a Bafta award nomination.

She earned two further Bafta nominations, for Keeping Up Appearances, in 1992 and 1993, then took the lead in the central part as a older lady on a journey into detective work in the series Hetty Wainthropp Investigates between 1996 to 1998.

She was honored with an Order of the British Empire in the nineties, a Commander of the British Empire in 2004, and the title of Dame in 2017.

A Remarkable Life

With her unforgettable roles, Dame Patricia Routledge provided comedy and delight to audiences worldwide, creating a extensive body of work that remains cherished by viewers for years ahead.