In pictures: Dame Barbara Windsor

A 17-year-old Barbara Windsor with Patricia Start, a fellow student at the Aida Forster Dancing School, in 1955

She began to make her name on stage and screen at the start of the 1960s

Attracting attention outside ABC Theatre in Mile End, east London, in 1963

With (from left) Susan Hampshire, Anna Massey, Miriam Karlin and Hayley Mills in the Night of 100 Stars at the London Palladium in 1964

Windsor's first husband was Ronnie Knight (second right), an associate of gangster Reggie Kray (right), pictured with his wife Frances Shea (left)

With Patrick Cargill in the BBC's The Lady From Maxims in 1973

Fending off Beryl Reid and Dermot Kelly in an edition of Comedy Playhouse in 1976

Windsor arriving for a court case involving her husband Ronnie Knight in 1980 (left). He was tried and acquitted of murder. Windsor is pictured, right, holding a rose after his release

She appeared with a young Martine McCutcheon and Isabelle Lucas in the 1989 children's drama Bluebirds

She became a fixture on screens once again when she joined EastEnders as Peggy Mitchell in 1994

Peggy married Frank Butcher in 1999, and she became part of the Butcher clan

With sons Phil and Grant, she ruled over the Queen Vic pub

Peggy endured a love-hate relationship with Pat Butcher, played by Pam St Clement

Her many dramatic storylines included a fire in the Vic in 2010

Peggy found happiness, for a while, with Archie Mitchell, played by Larry Lamb

With June Brown, who plays Dot Cotton

Third husband Scott Mitchell accompanied Windsor when she was made a dame at Buckingham Palace in 2016

Her life story was told in a BBC drama titled Babs, with Samantha Spiro (left) and Jaime Winstone playing the star at different stages of her life