Dame Jilly Cooper, the acclaimed author renowned for her “bonkbusters” such as Riders, Rivals, and Polo, suffered a fatal head injury after an accidental fall at her Gloucestershire home. The inquest held at Gloucestershire Coroners’ Court revealed that Dame Jilly, aged 88, was found by her family at around 5pm on October 4 at her residence in Bisley.
Paramedics transferred Dame Jilly to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, where she was initially alert but complained of a severe headache. Sadly, her condition rapidly declined, and she passed away at 8:30am the next day, October 5, with her family by her side.
Senior coroner Katy Skerrett concluded the death was accidental, caused by a traumatic subdural haematoma resulting from the unwitnessed fall. It is believed Dame Jilly fell down a flight of stairs, as a blood trail was found in that area of her home. There were no suspicious circumstances surrounding the incident.
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Dame Jilly Cooper was celebrated for her steamy and witty novels that explored scandal and adultery within upper-class society. Along with Riders and Rivals, her popular books include Mount!, The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous, and her latest release, Tackle!. Her work Rivals was recently adapted into a hit television series on Disney+ starring David Tennant, Aidan Turner, and Katherine Parkinson.
During the inquest, Dame Jilly’s daughter, Emily Tarrant, confirmed her mother’s identity via phone. Dame Jilly, born in Hornchurch, Essex, in February 1937, was a widowed author who had sustained two previous falls in 2018 and 2024. Despite declining mobility, she remained sharp and engaging.
Paramedics from South Western Ambulance Service arrived at her home at 5:56pm on October 4. Dame Jilly was able to speak with them but had no clear memory of the fall. A CT scan showed a skull fracture, and doctors determined her head injury was catastrophic.
Dame Jilly’s career spanned over five decades, earning her the inaugural Comedy Women In Print Lifetime Achievement Award in 2019 and being made a Dame in 2024 for her contributions to literature and charity. She was a close friend of Queen Camilla, who described her as a “witty and compassionate” friend and a legend in her own lifetime.
Her children, Felix Cooper and Emily Tarrant, expressed profound grief, remembering their mother as the “shining light” of their lives with an infectious smile and laughter.
Dame Jilly’s debut Rutshire novel, Riders, published in 1985, was recognized by the BBC as one of 100 significant English language novels in the love, sex, and romance genre, alongside classics like Jane Austen’s Pride and Prejudice. Her fans spanned all walks of life, including former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, who praised her books as a form of escapism.
A new edition of her book How To Survive Christmas will be published on November 13. Her funeral will be a private affair, with a public service of thanksgiving planned at Southwark Cathedral at a later date.