Dame Patricia Routledge , a Tony Award-winning actress best known to television audiences as the pretentious Hyacinth Bucket (“It’s pronounced Bouquet!”) on the BBC classic Keeping Up Appearances , has died. She was 96.

“We are deeply saddened to confirm the passing of Dame Patricia Routledge, who died peacefully in her sleep this morning surrounded by love,” her agent said in a statement to the PA Media news agency. “Even at 96 years old, Dame Patricia’s passion for her work and for connecting with live audiences never waned, just as new generations of audiences have continued to find her through her beloved television roles. She will be dearly missed by those closest to her and by her devoted admirers around the world.”

A cause of death has not been disclosed.

Routledge’s career

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