Dame Jilly Cooper died from a head injury after falling at her home in Bisley, an inquest has found.
The much-loved author suffered a fall at her home in Bisley, on October 4 and was taken to Gloucestershire Royal Hospital, where she was cared for with great dedication by the medical team. Despite their best efforts, she sadly succumbed to her injuries the following morning.
South Western Ambulance Service were called at 5.35pm on 4 October and arrived at Dame Jilly’s home at 5.56pm, they told the inquiry in a statement.
Dame Jilly was initially alert and speaking with the crew on arrival. She did not recall the exact details of the fall, with only a “vague recollection of falling down”, but she spoke of having a severe headache.
At Gloucestershire Coroners’ Court, Senior Coroner Katy Skerrett recorded a conclusion of accidental death, stating that “the deceased was Dame Jilly Cooper, an 88-year-old lady. When she passed away was October 5, 2025, at 8.30am, at Gloucestershire Royal Hospital where she had been transferred.”
Ms Skerrett continued: “The circumstances surrounding her tragic death were that she had suffered an unwitnessed fall at her home address on October 4. She fell, perhaps down some stairs, sustaining a significant head injury. There were no suspicious circumstances surrounding her fall. She passed away later, on October 5, with family present. This is a case of accidental death, the accident being the unwitnessed fall by Dame Cooper at her address, triggering the tragic events that thereafter followed.”
Concluding, the coroner added: “May this office extend their sincere condolences to Dame Cooper’s family.”
In a statement issued by Buckingham Palace after Dame Jilly’s death, Camilla said: “I join my husband, the King, in sending our thoughts and sympathies to all her family. And may her hereafter be filled with impossibly handsome men and devoted dogs.”
A new edition of Dame Jilly’s book, How To Survive Christmas, which was first published in 1986, will be released today, November 13.
