The Queen has attended a memorial service in central London to celebrate the remarkable life and literary legacy of Dame Jilly Cooper, the beloved author who passed away unexpectedly last October at the age of 88. The service of thanksgiving, held at the historic Southwark Cathedral, brought together a constellation of stars from the entertainment world, close friends, and prominent figures from the publishing industry to honour the writer famed for her steamy novels exploring scandal and adultery within upper-class society.
A Royal Presence and Celebrity Gathering
Camilla arrived at the cathedral where she was warmly welcomed by the Very Reverend Dr Mark Oakley, Dean of Southwark. The Queen, elegantly dressed in a blue silk dress paired with a matching cashmere top-stitch coat by Anna Valentine and carrying a Dior handbag, paused to view a poignant photograph of Dame Jilly displayed outside the venue. Her attendance underscored the personal connection between the two women; Camilla had previously described the author as a "wonderfully witty and compassionate friend" and a true "legend" in the world of writing.
The congregation was notably filled with faces from the acclaimed Disney+ television adaptation Rivals, based on one of Cooper's most famous works. Stars including David Tennant, Victoria Smurfit, Alex Hassell, Aidan Turner, Danny Dyer, and Katherine Parkinson were all present to pay their respects. The service also drew other luminaries such as Dame Joanna Lumley, actor Rupert Everett, former footballer Tony Adams, actress Lisa Maxwell, and comedian Helen Lederer, creating a gathering that reflected the author's wide-reaching influence across both literary and popular culture.
Personal Tributes and Fond Memories
Heartfelt tributes flowed from those who knew Dame Jilly Cooper best. Her literary agent, Felicity Blunt, attended with her husband, actor Stanley Tucci, and carried a tote bag emblazoned with the words "I love Jilly Cooper". Tucci spoke movingly to the media, stating, "She lived an incredible life. She also changed the lives of so many people for the better with her books, my wife being one of them. She was an extraordinary person, a brilliant writer, nice person and naughty."
Gardener and broadcaster Alan Titchmarsh, who had been a friend for four decades, remembered her as "hugely genuine", humorously noting that "her only failing was her appalling hand drawing." He added that the service was a way to say thank you for the loss of a great friend. Broadcaster Gyles Brandreth delivered a characteristically warm tribute, describing Dame Jilly as "fabulous" and "amazing", encapsulating her spirit with the word "fun". He shared a charming anecdote about their first meeting nearly sixty years ago on a bus, where they talked about sex, a conversation they revisited just weeks before her passing.
Celebrating a Prolific Literary Career
The service celebrated an author whose work left an indelible mark on British fiction. Dame Jilly Cooper was renowned for her Rutshire Chronicles, a series of novels including Riders, Rivals, Polo, Mount!, and her final work, Tackle!, published in 2023 and written on her cherished manual typewriter named Monica. These books, often set against the backdrop of the Cotswolds and the glamorous worlds of showjumping and media, were celebrated for their wit, warmth, and unapologetic exploration of human relationships.
Her influence extended beyond the page. The novel Rivals, set in the 1980s, was recently adapted into a successful and award-winning Disney+ series featuring a star-studded cast. Other television adaptations included an ITV series of The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous and a 1990s series of Riders. She also contributed to television as the writer behind the 1970s sitcom It's Awfully Bad For Your Eyes, which starred Dame Joanna Lumley.
A Legacy of Honour and Family
Dame Jilly Cooper's contributions were formally recognised with a CBE in the 2018 New Year Honours for services to literature and charity, followed by the prestigious damehood in 2024. She famously described receiving the honour from the King as "orgasmic", a remark that perfectly captured her irreverent and joyful character. Her legacy is survived by her two children, Felix and Emily. The memorial service at Southwark Cathedral was not merely an occasion of sadness but, as many attendees reflected, a true celebration of an amazing life lived with passion, humour, and an extraordinary talent for storytelling that captivated millions.
