Veteran U.K. actor Penelope Keith dies aged 86: family

King Charles III, left, shakes hands with actor with Penelope Keith at Buckingham Palace in London, England, Wednesday, Nov. 13, 2024. (Aaron Chown/Pool Photo via AP)

LONDON, United Kingdom -- Veteran British actress Penelope Keith, who rose to fame in the hit 1970s U.K. sitcom “The Good Life,” has died aged 86, her family said on Monday.

Keith, who was made a dame in Britain in 2014, established herself as a household name through her decades-spanning comedic roles on television, in film, radio and theatre.

Her family said she had “died peacefully” at home after battling cancer.

“The family is grateful for the care and support she received throughout her treatments,” they said.

Keith’s first major break was as the snobbish suburbanite Margot Leadbetter in “The Good Life,” which earned her a BAFTA award.

She later starred in “To The Manor Born,” another hit BBC sitcom.

AFP