Leslie Phillips, an iconic British actor, has passed away at the age of 98.

Phillips was one of the most popular British actors throughout the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s and reached a new audience when he voiced the Sorting Hats in the Harry Potter films.

According to the BBC, he passed away in his sleep on November 7 after battling a long illness. “I’ve lost a wonderful husband and the public has lost a truly great showman,” his wife Zara said. “He was quite simply a national treasure. People loved him. He was mobbed everywhere he went.”

Born in 1924, Phillips appeared in over 200 films, TV series, and radio programs.