The literary world is set to honor the remarkable life of Dame Jilly Cooper with a memorial service in central London. The celebrated author passed away in October at the age of 88 after sustaining injuries from a fall at her home in Bisley, Gloucestershire.
Friends, family, and admirers will gather at Southwark Cathedral to pay tribute to the woman whose captivating stories brought upper-class scandal and romance to life. Dame Jilly was best known for her steamy and compelling novels centered on themes of adultery, rivalry, and passion within high society.
Her acclaimed series, The Rutshire Chronicles — featuring iconic titles such as Riders, Rivals, and Polo — cemented her place as a literary icon. Recently, the novel Rivals was adapted into an award-winning Disney+ television series, starring notable actors including David Tennant, Alex Hassell, Emily Atack, and Danny Dyer. The series vividly captures the 1980s Cotswolds backdrop that inspired much of her work.
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One of her most memorable characters, Rupert Campbell-Black, an irresistible showjumper and seducer, is believed to have been partly inspired by Andrew Parker Bowles, the Queen’s former husband. Camilla, the Queen Consort, remembered Dame Jilly as a “wonderfully witty and compassionate friend” and lauded her as a true writing “legend.”
Dame Jilly’s influence extended beyond novels; several of her works were adapted for television, including the ITV drama The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous, starring Stephen Billington and Hugh Bonneville, and the Riders series from the 1990s featuring Marcus Gilbert. Earlier in her career, she also created the 1970s sitcom It’s Awfully Bad For Your Eyes, starring Dame Joanna Lumley.
Over her prolific career, Dame Jilly authored beloved books such as Mount! and her most recent novel Tackle!, published in 2023 and typed on her cherished manual typewriter, affectionately named Monica.
Her contributions to literature and charity were recognized with a CBE in the 2018 New Year Honours, and in 2024, she was elevated to Damehood. She famously described receiving the honour from the King as “orgasmic.”
Dame Jilly Cooper is survived by her two children, Felix and Emily, leaving behind a lasting legacy of storytelling filled with humor, passion, and wit.