Keeping Up Appearances star and keen Macular Society supporter dies, aged 96

The Macular Society is deeply saddened by the passing of actress Dame Patricia Routledge, who has died at the age of 96.

Dame Patricia was a keen supporter of the Macular Society. She attended our Southampton Roadshow back in 2018 and through personal donations and her charitable trust, The Patricia Routledge Foundation, she donated money towards our key services, including the helpline, Eccentric Viewing (EV) training and research.

"Surrounded by love" 

Her agent confirmed she “died peacefully in her sleep this morning, surrounded by love.” They added: “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.”

The star of stage and screen will arguably be remembered most for her portrayal of Hyacinth Bucket, pronounced ‘bouquet’, in the 1990s sitcom Keeping Up Appearances.

Theatre and screenwork 

Born in Birkenhead, Cheshire, Dame Patricia went on to graduate from the Bristol Old Vic Theatre School, starting her theatre career in the 1950s. She made her professional stage debut at the Liverpool Playhouse, and first performed at the West End in The Love Doctor in 1959. Other titles, to name but a few, included Richard III, The Importance of Being Earnest and Candide, for which she won a Laurence Olivier Award in 1988.

As well as Keeping Up Appearances, other screen work included Alan Bennett's TV monologues, as well as the BBC’s lead character in Hetty Wainthropp Investigates. Dame Patricia also voiced the same character for audiobooks among other wide-ranging radio works.

She was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire (DBE) in the 2017 New Year Honours for her services to theatre and charity.