Dame Jilly Cooper: Celebrating the Literary Legend’s Enduring Impact
A Literary Icon’s Legacy Lives On
Dame Jilly Cooper, the British author of novels such as ‘Rivals’ and ‘Riders’ whose 1980s bestsellers were a blend of sex, satire and class-based snobbery, died aged 88 in October 2025. She died after a fall on Sunday, leaving behind a remarkable legacy that continues to captivate readers worldwide. Her impact on British literature and popular culture remains undeniable, with her witty, scandalous tales of upper-class life earning her the title of ‘bonkbuster’ queen.
The Rutshire Chronicles Phenomenon
Cooper sold 11 million copies of her books in Britain alone, cementing her status as one of the nation’s most beloved authors. She was best known for writing the Rutshire Chronicles, a series of romantic novels based on a fictionalised Cotswolds village. Her first novel in the series, Riders, was published in 1985 and featured the showjumping lothario Rupert Campbell-Black. Its sequel, Rivals, was recently adapted into a hit Disney+ series, introducing her work to a new generation of fans.
A Friendship Honoured
In December 2025, Britain’s Queen Camilla visited the set of hit television drama ‘Rivals’, and led the tributes to the novelist when she died in October aged 88. The pair were friends for decades, having met in the early 1980s in rural southwest England. The cocktail parties, charity balls and fox hunts they attended together inspired Cooper’s racy, best-selling novels. Camilla said at the time of her death that Cooper was a legend, adding that she hoped her friend’s ‘hereafter’ was filled with ‘impossibly handsome men and devoted dogs’.
Continuing Her Legacy
In 2025, the Jilly Cooper Prize was established as part of the Comedy Women in Print Awards to honour her contribution to comic fiction. Sara Pascoe’s debut novel Weirdo received the first CWIP Jilly Cooper Award, recognising the enduring influence of Cooper’s distinctive voice in comic literature. Rivals, on which Cooper was an executive producer, has become a huge hit for Disney+, with Season 2 in production ahead of a 2026 launch.
A Lasting Impact
Prime Minister Keir Starmer called Cooper ‘a literary force whose wit, warmth and wisdom shaped British culture for over half a century and brought joy to millions’. For readers and admirers, Dame Jilly Cooper’s work offers more than entertainment—it provides witty social commentary, memorable characters, and an unapologetic celebration of life’s pleasures. Her novels continue to fly off shelves, her television adaptations attract millions of viewers, and her influence on contemporary fiction remains profound. As Britain mourns the loss of this remarkable storyteller, her legacy endures through the laughter, romance, and escapism she brought to countless readers worldwide.