Jilly Cooper DBE is a journalist and author of more than forty books, many of them best-sellers. She lives in Gloucestershire with her rescued greyhounds, Feather and Bluebell, and her rescued cat, Feral. She was appointed an OBE in 2004 for services to literature and in 2009 was awarded an honorary Doctorate of Letters by the University of Gloucestershire for her contribution to literature and services to the county. In 2024 she received a DBE in the New Year Honours list. Jilly is a Patron of Compassion in World Farming.