Stay up to date with notifications from The Independent

Notifications can be managed in browser preferences.

Dame Jilly Cooper died from a fatal head injury, inquest told

'Total screaming chaos': Jilly Cooper reflects on first years of marriage as a young wife
  • Celebrated author Dame Jilly Cooper died from a fatal head injury sustained during an accidental fall at her Gloucestershire home.
  • She was found on 4 October and passed away in Gloucestershire Royal Hospital on 5 October at 8:30 am, with an inquest concluding the cause as a traumatic subdural haematoma.
  • Cooper was renowned for her steamy fiction, including novels like Riders and Rivals, which explored scandal and adultery in upper-class society.
  • Her novel Rivals was recently adapted into a hit Disney+ series, starring actors such as Danny Dyer and David Tennant.
  • Tributes were paid by the showrunners of 'Rivals', her children Felix and Emily, and the Queen, who described her as a 'legend' and a 'wonderfully witty and compassionate friend'.
In full

Thank you for registering

Please refresh the page or navigate to another page on the site to be automatically logged inPlease refresh your browser to be logged in