Jilly Cooper – legendary author of Rivals – dies, aged 88

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Jilly Cooper, the popular author of romance novels like Rivals, has passed away at 88 years old.

Felix and Emily announced the sad news of their mother’s passing in a statement. She died on Sunday morning, October 5th, after a fall. They described her as ‘the shining light in all of our lives’.

She loved her family and friends deeply, and her sudden passing has shocked us all. We are incredibly proud of her accomplishments and will miss her joyful smile and laughter terribly. It’s hard to imagine life without her.

Initially a journalist and later a non-fiction writer, Cooper became most famous for her romance novels. She’s particularly well-known for the Rutshire Chronicles, a series that gained popularity through recommendations and significantly impacted the romance genre in the UK.

Last year, Disney Plus released a new series based on ‘Cooper’s Rivals,’ featuring a talented cast including David Tennant, Adrian Turner, and Alex Hassell. Author Robert Cooper was an executive producer and has praised the series as a fantastic adaptation.

When news of Cooper’s death was announced, her agent, Felicity Blunt, shared a heartfelt message. She said it was a career highlight to work with a woman who had shaped discussions about writing and culture for more than half a century.

Jilly is most famous for her incredibly popular series, The Rutshire Chronicles, and the captivating, charming, and somewhat troublesome character of Rupert Campbell-Black, a talented show jumper featured within the books.

Honestly, you figure those super-popular, steamy novels – the ones everyone calls ‘bonkbusters’ – wouldn’t really *last*, you know? But Jilly Cooper? She really got it. She wrote with such a sharp eye about everything – the way class affects people, sex, the ups and downs of marriage, the competitiveness between women, dealing with loss, and even struggles with having kids. It’s surprisingly insightful stuff, and that’s why her books still resonate today.

Her stories were complex and bold, filled with insightful and witty observations. She often drew from her own experiences, and her portrayals of society – its flaws and expectations – were reminiscent of Jane Austen. However, she would dismiss any praise, no matter how deserved.

She once explained her writing goal as simply wanting to contribute to people’s happiness, and in that, she truly excelled as an author. Later in her career, she expanded her work to include producing, serving as an executive producer on the Disney+ adaptation of her novel, Rivals, titled The Happy Prince.

Jilly Cooper consistently improved stories and scripts with her insightful suggestions, and everyone on set loved working with her. She was kind, perceptive, and brought a lot of energy and fun to every project. She will be greatly missed by her colleagues at Curtis Brown and the cast and crew of Rivals.

I’m deeply saddened by the loss of a dear friend, someone I could always rely on, share my thoughts with, and learn from. Her writing and work, however, will continue to inspire and live on.

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2025-10-06 14:16