Dame Jilly Cooper, the beloved author of the Rutshire Chronicles, left an estate valued at £85 million, according to inheritance papers filed after her death. The 88-year-old writer, who died unexpectedly on Sunday 5 October after a fall, was best known for her 'bonkbuster' novels such as Riders and Rivals.
Her children, Felix and Emily, confirmed her passing in a statement, describing her as 'the shining light in all of our lives' and noting that her death had come as a 'complete shock'. Queen Camilla also paid tribute, calling Cooper 'a legend in her own lifetime' and praising her wit and compassion.
Cooper began her career as a junior reporter for The Middlesex Independent before writing a popular column for the Sunday Times Magazine about the challenges of being a young working wife. She later moved to The Mail on Sunday, where she wrote a bi-monthly column until 1987.
Her breakthrough came with the publication of Riders in 1985, followed by Rivals in 1988. These novels cemented her reputation as the queen of the bonkbuster genre, with her Rutshire Chronicles series spanning over five decades.
