The unfortunate demise of Dame Maggie Smith has left a massive void in cinema. The legendary late British actress was not only popular for starring in Harry Potter and Downtown Abbey but also won two Oscars in her career. While she had a very storied journey in acting, her personal life was marred with health issues and a heartbreaking first marriage.

The late Maggie Smith as Professor McGonagall in Harry Potter | Credits: Warner Bros. Pictures

The late Maggie Smith was married twice, first to actor Robert Stephens from 1967 to 1975 and then to English playwright Alan Beverly Cross. Both of them had very varied impacts on her life. Smith enjoyed some of her best moments with the late Cross before his untimely demise in 1998, but her married life to Stephens ended due to serious troubles, including infidelity.

The late Maggie Smith’s first marriage was anything but magical

Maggie Smith with Robert Stephens in The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie | Credits: 20th Century Fox

Professor Minerva McGonagall, the Hogwarts professor of Transfiguration, became the favorite of many due to Maggie Smith‘s memorable portrayal. She was a major part of many fans’ childhoods who grew up fanboying over the Harry Potter film series. Sadly, a huge chunk of her personal life was less magical than her reel life.

Maggie Smith met the actor and her first husband, Robert Stephens, when she joined the National Theater at the Old Vic. The pair were married on June 19, 1967, and shared two sons, Chris and Toby Stephens. Robert Stephens was one of the most respected British actors and was once also regarded as the ideal successor to Laurence Olivier.

Colin Blakely(L) and actor Robert Stephens(R) in The Private Life of Sherlock Holmes | Credits: United Artists

Stephens also collaborated with Maggie Smith on-screen in her 1969 film The Prime of Miss Jean Brodie, for which she won a Best Actress Oscar. After that, they also shared the screen in 1972’s Travels with My Aunt. But trouble soon hit paradise when Robert Stephens faced mental health challenges and also indulged in infidelity.

However, the worst was yet to come. The late Maggie Smith spoke to The Guardian in 2004 that she lost all hope after the Cleopatra actor attempted suicide in 1970.

And after that it was just hopeless. We had two little boys. He didn’t understand. I sure as hell didn’t understand. It got worse and then it went on getting worse and worse. In the end it was destroying everybody. And he was having so many affairs.

Stephens’ failing mental health and infidelity soon culminated in their divorce in 1975. Sadly, Robert Stephens passed away in 1995, and although he could not give a perfect marriage to Smith, she valued him for bringing “two wonderful sons” into her life.

Maggie Smith shared a thrilling love story with Beverley Cross

The late Dame Maggie Smith as Violet Crawley in Downtown Abbey | Credits: ITV

Following a problematic marriage with Robert Stephens, Beverley Cross arrived as a sweet breeze of relief to the late Downtown Abbey actress. Interestingly, Smith met the English playwright even before Stephens and the duo planned to get married much earlier before fate showed other plans.

The pair met much earlier in the 1950s in a student revue at Oxford University. Beverley Cross immediately fell in love with the late Dame, who was 18 then. But as he was already married to his classmate Elizabeth Clunies-Ross, they decided to wait till Cross divorced his wife.

But the divorce took much longer than expected and thanks to Cross’ advice to Smith to join Britain’s National Theatre, the British actress met with Robert Stephens and got married to him. Later Smith even admitted to The Guardian that her first marriage “was entirely Bev’s fault“.

Surprisingly, Beverley Cross was also married to Gayden Collins when Stephens and Smith’s split was finalized. His obsession with the Harry Potter fame was so strong that he did not think twice before divorcing his second wife and finally, their much-awaited marriage took place in 1975.

Sadly, after a pleasant married life, Maggie Smith lost her second husband when he was 66. She considered herself fortunate to have the desired married life with Cross. As per Brides, the actress missed him till her final breath and never considered remarrying as she was sure to not find anyone as good as Cross again.