Actor Patrick Stewart dies at 86 after battle with Alzheimer’s and Lewy body dementia

Patrick Stewart, the British actor best known for playing Captain Jean-Luc Picard in "Star Trek: The Next Generation," died at his Los Angeles home on Wednesday at age 86, his spokesperson Kelly Bush Novak said. The family announced that his death followed a "short and poignant journey with Alzheimer’s Disease and Lewy Body Dementia," according to a statement posted on Stewart’s social media accounts.

Stewart’s career spanned more than six decades, beginning with youth theater in Mirfield, Yorkshire, and later joining the Royal Shakespeare Company in 1966, where he performed leading roles in productions such as "A Midsummer Night’s Dream" and "The Merchant of Venice." He gained widespread fame through "Star Trek," reprising the role of Picard in the series "Star Trek: Picard" from 2020 to 2023.

In 2010, Queen Elizabeth II awarded him a knighthood for services to drama, a distinction he later described as the most significant professional honor he received.

"We will forever cherish the peaceful ease and reflection on his face, an enduring reminder of his invisible grace," the statement read.

Stewart’s death was reported as a breaking news development, with further details expected to follow.