Farewell to Dame Jilly Cooper: The queen of glamorous escapism
We were deeply saddened to hear that Dame Jilly Cooper has passed away at the age of 88 following a fall at her home.
Like many teenage girls in the 80s, I first discovered her books by sneakily pulling a copy of Riders from my mum’s shelves – far too young for its gloriously racy content. Your options were thin on the ground; Judy Blume guided us through all the highs and awkwardness of first crushes, but beyond that, it was the classics – Jane Eyre and Wuthering Heights, lined up in their matching faux-leather cases – or the forbidden books with suggestive covers that whispered of grown-up worlds.
And it was there, tucked among them, that many of us discovered Jilly Cooper for the very first time.
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Reading a Jilly Cooper novel was pure escapism. Beyond the scandal and sex, her stories were full of insight into love, ambition, heartbreak, and the messy brilliance of being human.
Her worlds shone with champagne-fuelled parties, muddy stables, and tangled relationships – an intoxicating mix of glamour and grit that made it impossible not to be swept away. It was a world we all wanted to be part of.
I later learned that reading a Jilly Cooper novel was a rite of passage for so many girls growing up in the ’80s, sparking not just a lifelong love of reading but an early lesson in confidence, daring, and ambition.
Dame Jilly Cooper was, quite simply, an icon. She began her career in journalism in the late 1960s, writing with the same wit and sparkle that would later define her fiction. After publishing a handful of lively non-fiction books – including How to Stay Married – she turned to novels, eventually creating the beloved Rutshire Chronicles, beginning with Riders.
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Often crowned the queen of the bonkbuster, her novels were always more than their saucy reputation suggested. With sharp wit and a keen eye for social nuance, she wrote about class, relationships, rivalry, loss, and parenthood with rare honesty and warmth.
From early romances like Harriet and Octavia to sparkling classics Riders, Polo and Rivals, her worlds were filled with unforgettable characters – clever, funny women and men like Rupert Campbell-Black, the charismatic showjumper whose swagger hid surprising depth.
Her stories celebrated female friendship, ambition, and independence at a time when women’s lives were too often defined by others. And now, a new generation is discovering her magic through the recent Disney+ adaptation of Rivals, starring David Tennant, Emily Atack, Aidan Turner, and Danny Dyer.
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Following the news of Jilly’s death, countless moving tributes have been shared by everyone from fans to Queen Camilla herself, who was a friend to Jilly.
“I was so saddened to learn of Dame Jilly’s death last night,” the Queen wrote.
“Very few writers get to be a legend in their own lifetime but Jilly was one, creating a whole new genre of literature and making it her own through a career that spanned over five decades.”
Touching on the bond they shared, Her Majesty continued, “In person she was a wonderfully witty and compassionate friend to me and so many – and it was a particular pleasure to see her just a few weeks ago at my Queen’s Reading Room Festival where she was, as ever, a star of the show.
“I join my husband The King in sending our thoughts and sympathies to all her family. And may her hereafter be filled with impossibly handsome men and devoted dogs.”
Dame Jilly Cooper leaves behind a legacy of wit, warmth, and audacity, reminding us all to live boldly and love fiercely – a true legend.
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