When veteran actress Maggie Smith passed away in September, her close friend and fellow actress, Dame Judi Dench, planted a tree in her memory. Dench recently shared that the apple tree bore fruit on the day of Maggie's funeral.

Dame Maggie, the Oscar-winning actress known for her standout roles in Harry Potter and Downton Abbey, died in hospital at the age of 89.

In honour of what would have been Maggie Smith's 90th birthday on Saturday, a special program titled Maggie Smith at the BBC celebrated her life and career.

Photo: Collected

Dame Judi, who plants trees in memory of her late friends, shared during the program that the crab apple tree she planted for Dame Maggie bore fruit on the day of Maggie's funeral. "I had the apple in my pocket at her funeral, which felt like a lovely keepsake. We shared such wonderful times," she recalled.

Dame Judi and Dame Maggie collaborated on several projects, such as "Ladies in Lavender" (2004) and "A Room with a View" (1985). Reflecting on their friendship, Dame Judi shared, "I've known her for a very long time. She was incredibly funny, unbelievably witty, and a truly kind and special friend."

Dame Judi also confessed that Maggie could be "quite intimidating" at times, joking that "you didn't want to end up on the wrong side of Mags."

Photo: Collected

Stage and screen legend Sir Derek Jacobi agreed that Dame Maggie could be "intimidating because of her immense talent." He added, "I was in awe of her at first, but you had to move past that – she wouldn't allow it to linger."

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A contemplation on the cinematic brilliance of Maggie Smith

The BBC Two programme celebrated Dame Maggie's life with interviews from those who knew her, accompanied by clips of her performances in films and shows spanning from the 1960s to the 2020s.