‘Irreplaceable legend’: Tributes pour in for Sir Patrick Stewart

Sir Patrick was a lifelong supporter of English Football League club Huddersfield Town, who called him a “titan of his craft”, saying his legacy would live on.

“Fiercely proud of his Yorkshire roots, Sir Patrick was a Terrier in every sense, and we’re proud to have counted him as one of our own,” the club said.

The Alzheimer’s Society in the UK said it was deeply saddened to hear about his death.

“Sir Patrick was an extraordinarily talented and much-loved actor, admired by millions around the world,” CEO Michelle Dyson said.

“His death is a heartbreaking reminder of the devastating impact dementia has on people and families across the globe,” she added.

As well as his appearances in Marvel films, Stewart also appeared in Safe House, Robin Hood: Men in Tights and Dune, released in 1984.

He joined the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966, and his roles included King John, Oberon in A Midsummer Night’s Dream and Henry IV.

The Royal Shakespeare Company described him as “a colossus of both stage and screen”.

In a statement, it remembered him as “one of the finest classical Shakespearean actors of his generation”, saying his contribution to the company is “beyond measure”.

When Sir Patrick was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2010, he said he owed “literally everything” to his former English teacher who first encouraged him to perform.

His love of drama began at school where he was introduced to Shakespeare and his first public performance was in a local church production of Cinderella.

Sir Patrick threw himself enthusiastically into the flourishing local theatre. “I used to recite Shakespeare from memory,” he said. “I just learned all these big speeches.”