Jilly Cooper died from a head injury sustained during a fall at home, an inquest heard | Jilly Cooper

Writer Jilly Cooper suffered a fatal head injury during a fall at her Gloucestershire home, an inquest heard.

Cooper, 88, whose 18 novels include Riders and Rivals, was found by her family at her home in Paisley at about 5pm on October 4.

She was initially alert and paramedics took her to Gloucestershire Royal Infirmary, but her condition deteriorated, Gloucestershire Crown Court heard.

She died in hospital, in the presence of her family, at 8.30 a.m. on October 5.

Katie Skerritt, Gloucestershire’s chief coroner, reached a conclusion of accidental death and said Cooper died as a result of a subdural haematoma.

“The circumstances surrounding her tragic death are that she suffered an unintentional fall at her home on October 4,” Skerritt said. “She fell, probably down some stairs, and sustained a serious head injury.

“There were no suspicious circumstances surrounding her fall. She died later, on October 5, in the presence of her family.”

Cooper is best known for The Rotshire Chronicles, which follows the scandals of the upper classes in the fictional Cotswolds of Rotshire. The second novel in the series, Rivals, was adapted for Disney+ and released last year.

Her novels are often described as “punkbuster,” but for her they were “a little bit of everything,” she told The Guardian in 2016. “But if they want to call it punkbuster, they can — except that it should be called punkbuster now, punk is outdated.

Her death sparked high-profile tributes, including Queen Camilla, who said in a statement: “Very few writers become legends in their lifetime, but Gilly was one of them, creating a whole new genre of literature and making it her own through a career that spanned five decades… May her future be filled with handsome men and loyal dogs.”

Cooper has been named a Dame in the 2024 New Year’s Honors List for services to literature and charity.

Former Prime Minister Rishi Sunak, a reputed fan of her work, wrote on X: “Sad to hear of the passing of Dame Jilly Cooper, a storyteller whose wit and love of character brought joy to millions. My thoughts are with her family and fellow readers.”