QUEEN Camilla had an audience in hysterics as she told a story about Dame Jilly Cooper and paid tribute to her friend.
She opened the eighth Cliveden Literary Festival yesterday and gave a speech about the author, who died last week at the age of 88.
Camilla had an audience in hysterics as she told a story about Dame Jilly Cooper and paid tribute to her friend[/caption]
Bestseller and queen of the bonkbuster Dame Jilly died on October 5 after a fall[/caption]
Camilla said Dame Jilly was at a party a few years ago, when she told her: “I’m going to get absolutely plastered tonight, darling.
“I love you so much, I want to see two of you.”
The Queen added: “Dear Jilly, how we’d love to see just one of you here today.”
The author died on October 5 after a fall.
Dame Jilly, known as queen of the bonkbuster, wrote popular romance novels including Rivals, which was turned into a Disney+ series last year.
She based her showjumping lothario character Rupert Campbell-Black on Camilla’s ex Andrew Parker Bowles.
Also in attendence at the Cliveden event in Buckinghamshire was author Sir Ian Rankin, who said of Dame Jilly: “She was a terrific writer, a terrific stylist, a terrific satirist.
“She leaves a fantastic legacy, I’m sorry she’s not around to share a glass of Champagne and discuss it.”
