Dame Jilly Cooper, the best-selling British novelist famed for Riders, Rivals, and her Rutshire Chronicles series, has passed away at the age of 88 following a fall at her Gloucestershire home.

Cooper, whose novels explored the scandals, romances, and social circles of Britain’s horse-loving elite, sold over 11 million books in the UK alone. Her 1985 debut Riders launched the beloved series, followed by Rivals in 1988, recently adapted into a hit Disney+ series.

Queen Camilla led tributes, calling Cooper a “legend” and a “wonderfully witty and compassionate friend,” while praising her role in creating a new literary genre. Cooper’s agent Felicity Blunt described her as “emotionally intelligent, fantastically generous, sharply observant and utter fun,” highlighting her incisive storytelling and satirical take on class, marriage, and society.

Starting her career as a journalist, Cooper published her first book, How To Stay Married, in 1969, before rising to fame with her romance and social satire novels. She remained married to her husband Leo from 1961 until his death in 2013.

Tributes also poured in from celebrities, fellow writers, and broadcasters, celebrating her wit, warmth, and influence on British literature. Cooper’s funeral will be a private family event, with a public service of thanksgiving planned at Southwark Cathedral in the coming months.

Source: BBC