Dame Joanna Lumley said she felt “elated and full of champagne” following the memorial service for Dame Jilly Cooper at Southwark Cathedral. The Queen, the cast of hit TV show Rivals, and a host of other famous faces gathered on Friday morning to celebrate the life of the successful author, who died unexpectedly in October at age 88 after a fall.
Describing the service as “absolutely beautiful,” Lumley told the Press Association it was “very touching, sometimes very funny, just sometimes very moving.” She added: “I think everything she would have loved, and (it) just reminded you of how hugely she’s being missed.”
The actress highlighted the “sheer adoration” in the “great stuffed cathedral,” noting every seat was taken. “Everybody was there because they knew Jilly,” Lumley said. “She was adored because she was adorable. She never had a hard or horrid word to say about anybody.”
Lumley recalled Cooper’s optimistic spirit: “She loved life, she loved nature. She was an optimist. She was an extraordinary woman.” Despite her passing, Lumley observed that “we’ve got all her books and we’ve got her television shows and we’ve got her still alive amongst us.”
When asked how she felt after the service, Lumley quipped: “Elated and full of champagne.” The tribute underscored the deep affection for the beloved author.
