Dame Jilly Cooper Dies at 88

Dame Jilly Cooper, the bestselling British author of the Rutshire Chronicles—including Riders and Rivals—has died aged 88 after a fall, her children and her agency Curtis Brown confirmed. Her family described her death as 'a complete shock' and called her 'the shining light' of their lives. Cooper rose from journalism to international fame with the 1985 bestseller Riders and sold millions of books during a career spanning more than 50 years. She served as an executive producer on Disney+'s adaptation of Rivals, with a second season currently in production. Longtime agent Felicity Blunt and publishers paid tribute to Cooper's wit and cultural impact, noting she wrote 'to add to the sum of human happiness.' A private family funeral will be held in accordance with her wishes and a public service of thanksgiving is planned at Southwark Cathedral.