Social media has been flooded with tributes following the death of actress Betty White, aged 99, on 31 December.

“Betty died peacefully in her sleep at her home early this morning,” her agent told People in a statement on Friday.

“Even though Betty was about to be 100, I thought she would live forever. I will miss her terribly and so will the animal world that she loved so much. I don’t think Betty ever feared passing because she always wanted to be with her most beloved husband Allen Ludden. She believed she would be with him again.”

When the news broke, Twitter was awash with tributes from Hollywood and beyond to the iconic Golden Girls star.

“Betty White brought a smile to the lips of generations of Americans. She’s a cultural icon who will be sorely missed. Jill and I are thinking of her family and all those who loved her this New Year’s Eve,” wrote President Joe Biden.

Betty White death: Michelle Obama and Oprah Winfrey lead Twitter tributes to the actress after her death