British Author, Dame Jilly Cooper Tragically Dies At 88, Her Children Are In 'Complete Shock'

The literary world is mourning the sudden and unexpected death of one of the most loved and celebrated authors, Dame Jilly Cooper. She was well-known for her fun and bold stories about love, relationships and more. Some of her books include Tackle, Wicked!, Rival and more. Jilly Cooper's children recently opened up about the author's sudden death at the age of 88. 

Jilly Cooper’s children, Felix and Emily are shocked by their mother’s tragic death

The author, Dame Jilly Cooper, tragically passed away on October 5, 2025 and the next day, her children, Felix and Emily released a statement regarding the same. In the statement, they confirmed their mother’s tragic death, which came after a fall. Felix and Emily called their mother the shining light of their lives. They also explained that they are completely shocked by her passing and cannot imagine life without her. They were quoted as saying:

"Mum was the shining light in all of our lives. Her love for all of her family and friends knew no bounds. Her unexpected death has come as a complete shock. We are so proud of everything she achieved in her life and can't begin to imagine life without her infectious smile and laughter all around us."

Dame Jilly Cooper’s friends and colleagues pay tribute to her

After Jilly Cooper’s children confirmed her tragic and unexpected passing, her long-time agent, Felicity Blunt paid tribute to the author and appreciated her work and legacy. In her tribute, she called Jilly the woman, who has defined culture, writing and conversation. She mentioned that Jilly will always be remembered for her outstanding work. She had shared:

"The privilege of my career has been working with a woman who has defined culture, writing and conversation since she was first published over fifty years ago. Jilly will undoubtedly be best remembered for her chart-topping series The Rutshire Chronicles and its havoc-making and handsome show-jumping hero Rupert Campbell-Black. You wouldn't expect books categorised as bonkbusters to have so emphatically stood the test of time, but Jilly wrote with acuity and insight about all things- class, sex, marriage, rivalry, grief and fertility."

Apart from Jilly Cooper’s long-time agent, her publisher, Bill Scott-Kerr of Transworld also paid a heartfelt tribute to the author, in which he called a genius novelist and highlighted her irrepressible enthusiasm. Beyond that, he also recalled Jilly's kindness, friendship and love for animals. Cherishing the 30 years, he has worked with Jilly, he shared:

"Working with Jilly Cooper over the past thirty years has been one of the great privileges and joys of my publishing life."

More about Dame Jilly Cooper

Dame Jilly Cooper was a popular British author and journalist, who was known for the series, The Rutshire Chronicles. Reportedly, she began her career in journalism, by contributing columns to The Sunday Times. Later, she published her first book. In her personal life, she was married to Leo Cooper and the couple had two children, Felix and Emily. Unfortunately, Leo had passed away in 2013, after a long battle with Parkinson's disease. 

We offer a lot of strength to Dame Jilly Cooper’s family and close ones in this tough time. 

Next Read: Nicole Scherzinger Reveals Text Message She Sent Her Friend, Liam Payne Hours Before His Demise

AWESOME NEWS! Now you can download BollywoodShaadis app and never miss a story. Get App

AWESOME NEWS! Now you can download BollywoodShaadis app and never miss a story. Choose your device Android or IOS (Apple)