Dame Maggie Smith struggled with self-doubt and “didn’t believe she was loved”, her son Toby Stephens revealed in a heartfelt tribute to the late actress.

Toby shared that despite his mother’s immense fame and global admiration for her iconic roles in Harry Potter and Downton Abbey, she never truly accepted the extent of her popularity.

Dame Maggie died in September aged 89, leaving behind her sons Christopher and Toby and five grandchildren.

Toby, 55, the son of Dame Maggie and her first husband Robert Stephens, expressed his mixed feelings about the public’s reaction to her death.

Although he and his family were touched by the outpouring of love, he regrets that his mother never allowed herself to fully absorb the adoration she received throughout her life.

Speaking to The Telegraph, Toby revealed: “It was incredibly moving for my family to see how universally loved and admired she was. This was something she could never really believe in. She was just like all of us, she didn’t have that self-confidence.

The family vividly remembers the journey since the loss, with their son saying: “It was hard. She had been sick for a while and it was very difficult to recognize it. But she was in her 90th year, she had a “really good innings,” reports the Mirror.

He confessed with heartfelt honesty: “Purely selfishly, I miss her in my life and the opportunity to talk to her.”

To mark her death, Toby and Chris released a statement: “It is with great sadness that we announce the death of Dame Maggie Smith. She passed away peacefully in hospital this morning, Friday 27th September. A very private person, at the end she was with friends and family. She leaves behind two sons and five loving grandchildren who are devastated by the loss of their extraordinary mother and grandmother.

With great appreciation they said: “We would like to take this opportunity to thank the wonderful staff at Chelsea and Westminster Hospital for their care and tireless kindness during her final days. We thank you for all your kind messages and support and ask that you please respect our privacy at this time.

Dame Maggie was buried in a small, personal ceremony at Mortlake Crematorium in Kew last month.

After her death, tributes poured in around the world – including from Harry Potter star Daniel Radcliffe, who spoke of her “fierce intellect” and “wonderfully sharp tongue.”