Jilly Cooper: Brit best-selling novelist dies aged 88 after a fall as tributes flood in - what books did she write?
The much-loved author Dame Jilly Cooper has died at the age of 88.
The author passed away yesterday morning (Sunday 5 October) after a fall, her agent confirmed. Tributes have now poured in for Jilly, who had sold over 11 million copies of her books in the UK alone.
She was born on February 21, 1937, in Hornchurch, Essex. The author comes from a strong Yorkshire family, and spent a lot of her childhood in the Ilkley.
Jilly was educated at Moorfield School in Ilkley, and then the Godolphin School in Salisbury. She began her career as a journalist as a junior reporter for the Middlesex Independent from 1957 to 1959.
Jilly's children Felix and Emily issued a statement today to confirm their mother died on Sunday morning following a fall. In a statement, her family said: "Mum, was the shining light in all of our lives.
"Her love for all of her family and friends knew no bounds. Her unexpected death has come as a complete shock. We are so proud of everything she achieved in her life and can’t begin to imagine life without her infectious smile and laughter all around us."
Jilly’s funeral will be private, as she wished and a public service of thanksgiving will be held in the coming months at Southwark Cathedral to remember Jilly and her incredible life.
Her most famous work is the Rutshire Chronicles, a bestselling series of novels set in a fictional English county filled with aristocrats, riders, and rogues. The series began with Riders (1985) and includes later hits like Rivals, Polo, The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous, and Mount! They revolve around glamorous, horse-loving characters — especially the charming but flawed hero Rupert Campbell-Black, who became a cult figure in British fiction.
She also wrote several non-fiction bestsellers, most notably:
- Class (1979) – a humorous but perceptive guide to Britain’s class system
- The Common Years – about her life and her dogs
- Animals in War – a heartfelt tribute to animals who served alongside humans in conflict