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Dame Pat Routledge, who has died at the years of 96, made her mark on the national consciousness as the pretentious Mrs. Bouquet.

Declaring it was "said Bouquet," the character ran roughshod over her patient husband and bewildered neighbours in the popular sitcom, among Britain's best-loved sitcoms in the 1990s.

Acting like a aristocrat while living in a suburb, Bucket's monstrous social-climbing plans were ultimately destined to failure—while she battled to maintain her dignity.

It was Lady Routledge's most famous part in a career that included her win theatrical honors on each side of the ocean, become the lead of Alan Bennett's celebrated TV monologues, and star as BBC1's crime-busting Mrs. Wainthropp.

Formative Life and Career Beginnings

Katherine Pat Routledge was delivered in Birkenhead on February 17 1929.

Her dad was a haberdasher and she remembered sheltering from enemy bombs in the basement of his shop throughout the Second World War.

She studied literature at nearby Liverpool University and planned to become a teacher. Instead, she joined the local theatre prior to training at the Bristol drama school.

Her prosperous acting career brought her from the provinces to the London theatre district, and eventually to New York, where the composer selected her to star in his stage production 1600 Pennsylvania Avenue in 1976.

She had previously won a Tony award for her performance in Darling of the Day.

She could transition smoothly from lighthearted plays to classics.

She went from Shakespeare's birthplace, appearing with the RSC and then to the National Theatre in London.

At the National, her lead role in the theatre production Carousel featured her performing the inspiring You'll Never Walk Alone.

She also took several supporting film roles, notably in 1967's To Sir, With Love, and the Jerry Lewis funny film Don't Raise the Bridge, Lower the River.

Her stage and radio performances proved her versatility and won her accolades, but it was the small screen that provided Routledge with her most high profile characters.

Television Success and Iconic Characters

Initial small-screen appearances featured well-liked programmes like Z Cars and Steptoe and Son.

And later, among Britain's esteemed playwrights, the dramatist, penned a set of outstanding Talking Heads TV solos for her.

Routledge conquered her early hesitation to perform his material and shone as A Woman of No Importance and A Lady of Letters.

She later portray a isolated, middle-aged department store clerk tipped into a relationship with a kinky podiatrist in Bennett's Miss Fozzard Finds Her Feet.

A comic performance as the larger-than-life character on The Victoria Wood Show led to the creation of Mrs. Bouquet.

Routledge remembered being given the episodes by the author, Roy Clarke—who had also done Last of the Summer Wine and Open All Hours.

"I had opened the pages for a moment at one o'clock in the night," she recalled, "I went straight through and the character jumped off the page. I knew that lady, I knew several of that woman."

Keeping Up Appearances aired for five series and featured several holiday specials.

In a documentary, she stated that fans had included Queen Elizabeth, the Queen Mother and the pontiff.

It turned into the broadcaster's most exported programme ever and meant Routledge was recognised as far away as Africa.

For her work on the sitcom, she was chosen the UK's all-time favourite actor in 1996, but following half a decade in the role, she felt it was the moment for a new direction.

"I decided to end it to an end," she explained, "which, naturally, the broadcaster wasn't pleased with at all."

She thought that Roy Clarke was beginning to repeat concepts and recalled a piece of guidance from the comedian, the comic.

"He made sure to finish with audiences saying, ‘Oh, won't you do any more?’ she said, instead of people remarking, ‘Is that still on?’"

Later Roles and Personal Reflections

Portraying the unassuming but sharp detective in Hetty Wainthropp Investigates brought her continued popularity on TV, but she always referred to the theatre as "the test."

Long after she stopped acting regularly on television, Routledge made stage travels equally in the UK and abroad.

Whenever interviewers asked the predictable question, she requested them to write the word retirement since, she explained: "It's not in my lexicon."

She never wed or raised kids, but told the press of two great romances in her younger days, one with a wedded man.

"I felt remorse and an acute feeling that there had to be loss," she confessed. "I guess I convinced myself that it was all right for the time being as his union was no a vibrant relationship."

In place of family, she devoted herself to her art, serving it with the skill, discipline and commitment that were consistently respected by her peers.

She was scathing about the BBC's decision in 2016 to revive Keeping Up Appearances, but this time set in the 1950s and featuring a younger incarnation of her role.

Questioning the Corporation's policy of resurrecting classic comedies she said, "Why are they doing this kind of thing, they have to be out of ideas."

She had previously clashed with the BBC over their move not to commission a film she had authored about the author Beatrix Potter (she was a supporter of the literary group), which eventually broadcast on another network.

Upon reaching 90, she continued to live quietly in Chichester, where she occupied herself raising money for the cathedral roof.

In 2017, she was appointed a Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire but—in contrast to Hyacinth—honors did not go to her head.

Lady Routledge often stated she thanked her north of England upbringing and solid background for giving her practicality with her time and her money.

Even so, she admitted that, should any extra cash arrive, she'd certainly spend it on "several bottles of sparkling wine"—an love of the better things in life that she had in common with her most famous creation.

"I never was stage-struck," she declared. "I'm not stage-struck today. Nobody's more surprised than I am that I have, actually, devoted my career doing acting."