Miriam Margolyes is guest of honor at grand opening of new Oxford High School buldings

Miriam Margolyes, who plays Professor Sprout in the Harry Potter films, was recently honored by her old high school, Oxford High, which invited her to be the guest of honor at the launch of some new campus buildings and named a studio space after her. Margolyes says of the honor:

They said, ‘Well would you like to [open the buildings]?’. Which of course I desperately wanted to and I had the most wonderful day and it was a real thrill. I opened the new buildings and the whole school were there in the auditorium and I gave a speech and I went round the building. It was thrilling, and then I went to see the Miriam Margolyes Studio which is there in my school and I don’t think I’ve had a happier day. It was absolutely wonderful.

It sounds like Miriam had a blast, but it turns out she wouldn’t have had the opportunity to attend the launch if it wasn’t for another Harry Potter star – Dame Maggie Smith!

Smith also attended the high school, and Margolyes was originally contacted so that she could ask Maggie if she would like to do the opening. Maggie declined, and the job fell to Miriam! Says Margoyles, “I was really pleased that Maggie didn’t do it, because I got to.” Sounds like it worked out for everyone in the end!

You can read the original article here.