The estate of the late author Dame Jilly Cooper, known for her vivid depictions of the aristocracy and equestrian worlds, has been valued at £8.5 million. Dame Jilly died on October 5, 2025, at the age of 88, following a head injury sustained in a fall at her home in Bisley, Gloucestershire.
Probate records indicate that Dame Jilly's gross estate amounted to £9,070,307. After liabilities, the net value stands at £8,557,118. Her beneficiaries are her children, Felix and Emily, and her stepdaughter, Laura, who will each receive an equal share of the inheritance.
One of the signatories on the probate documents was identified as a professional polo player, a detail that resonates with Dame Jilly's literary focus on polo-playing members of the upper class. Her most famous works, including "Riders," "Rivals," and "Polo," captured the flamboyant lifestyles and dramatic entanglements of this social milieu.
Dame Jilly Cooper, who was awarded a Damehood for her services to literature, published her first novel in 1968 and continued to write for decades, entertaining readers with her sharp wit and keen observations of society. Her passing marked the end of an era for British literature, with her unique voice leaving a lasting legacy.