Jilly Cooper was an English author and journalist, best known for her long running Rutshire Chronicles series. She began her career in journalism and published several works of non-fiction, including books on class, animals, and marriage, before turning to fiction. In 1975, her first romance novel appeared and she went on to become a prominent figure in British popular literature, noted for her witty social commentary and depictions of upper-middle-class life. In 2024, she was named Harper’s Bazaar‘s Author of the Year. A race horse was named after Cooper, but in 2024, it had to be destroyed after a racing accident.
Birth Name
Jilly Sallitt
Nickname
Jilly
Profession
Author
Nationality
British
Personal Life
Birthday / Date of Birth
Jilly Cooper was born on the 21st of February 1989, in Hornchurch, Essex, England.
Died
She died on 5 October 2025, aged 88, following a fall at her home in Bisley, Gloucestershire.
Sun Sign
Pisces
Ethnicity
Caucasian
Religion
Christianity
Education
Cooper was educated at the Moorfield School in Ilkley, Yorkshire and Godolphin School in Salisbury, Wiltshire.
Family Details
- Father – Brigadier W. B. Sallitt, OBE
- Mother – Mary Elaine (née Whincup)
- Siblings – Information not widely known.
Marital Status
Married
Boyfriend / Spouse
Jilly Cooper has dated –
- Leo Cooper (1972 – 2013) – In 1961, Jilly married Leo Cooper, a publisher of military history books. Since 1948, The couple had known each other (when Jilly Sallitt was about 11 years old), although they did not marry until she was 24 and he was 27. The couple adopted two children and had five grandchildren. In 2002, Leo was diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease. On 29 November 2013, he died at the age of 80.
Physical Statistics
Height
- In feet –5 feet 6 inches
- In centimeters – 168 cm
- In meters – 1.68 m
Weight
- In Kilograms – 60 kg
- In Pounds – 132 lbs
Body Measurements
- Measurements – 34-30-36
- Bust – 34 inches
- Waist – 30 inches
- Hip – 36 inches
- Bra Size – 34B
Body Build
Slim
Eye Color
Blue
Hair Color
Blonde
Shoe Size
She wears a size 9 (US) shoe.
Dress Size
Her dress size is 6 (US).
Sexuality
Straight
Professional Statistics
Famous For
Jilly is known for her bestselling romantic and dramatic novels. She gained widespread recognition for the Rutshire Chronicles, a series set in the British countryside. Her writing is celebrated for its vivid characters, humor, and exploration of romance. Cooper has sold millions of copies worldwide, making her one of Britain’s most popular contemporary authors. Her ability to blend drama, wit, and romance has made her work timeless and influential.
Jilly Cooper Net worth
Jilly Cooper has an estimated net worth of $10 million dollars as of 2025.
Some Lesser Known Facts About Jilly Cooper
- After unsuccessfully trying to begin a career in the British national press, Cooper became a junior reporter for The Middlesex Independent, based in Brentford.
- In 1969, Cooper’s first column led to the publication of her first book, How to Stay Married, and which was quickly followed by a guide to working life, How to Survive from Nine to Five, (1970).
- In 1981, she published Intelligent and Loyal, which is the earliest book to be written exclusively about mongrels.
- She was encouraged to write romantic fiction by the editor Desmond Elliott, who had read the short stories she had written previously for teenage magazines.
- Some of her novels, like Riders and The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous, were adapted for TV and film. Cooper’s writing style blends humor, romance, and social commentary.
- Cooper stated that she was a football fan and supported Leeds United when she lived in Yorkshire. She was also a Manchester City fan.
- On 13 November 2009, she was awarded an Honorary Doctorate of Letters by the University of Gloucestershire at a ceremony in Gloucester Cathedral.
- In 2017, in her book The Gender Games, Bradford-born writer Juno Dawson described how her obsession with the “ultra-glam” covers of these romances as a child gave her a sense that she was not “very good at being a boy”.
- Cooper campaigned for the preservation of limestone grasslands in Gloucestershire with the Trust for Nature Conservation.
