Queen Camilla visited the Bristol studios of Disney+ series "Rivals" on December 8, paying tribute to her late close friend Dame Jilly Cooper who died in October. The Queen expressed her deep sadness over the author's absence during a behind-the-scenes tour originally planned to celebrate the show together.
The Queen met Dame Jilly's son Felix Cooper and daughter Emily Tarrant at Bottleyard Studios near Hartcliffe. «She was such a big part of my life for such a long time,» she told them. «We all miss her so much.»
Dame Jilly Cooper died in October at age 88 following a fatal head injury from a fall at her Gloucestershire home. She served as executive producer for the "Rivals" adaptation of her bestselling novel and had been looking forward to the royal visit.
Memories and Friendship
The Queen reminisced about reading her friend's novels. When asked if she had read them, she replied: «Of course I did. Jilly used to give me a copy and I used to gallop through them.» She recalled binge-watching the series while recovering from pneumonia last year, saying: «I promise you, after watching it, I binge watched it, I felt much better after.»
Actor Alex Hassell shared a fond memory of Dame Jilly's visits to set: «She would tell all the men here that they were sexy every time she came.» The Queen responded warmly: «It's very nice. It boosts your confidence.»
Cast and Production
The Queen met the all-star cast including David Tennant, who plays TV mogul Lord Tony Baddingham, Victoria Smurfit as Maud O'Hara, Alex Hassell as Rupert Campbell-Black, Bella Maclean as Taggie O'Hara, and Nafessa Williams as Cameron Cook. She toured the costume department, viewing outfits reflecting the show's 1980s setting in the fictional Rutshire countryside.
Show writer and producer Dominic Treadwell-Collins thanked the Queen for attending. «Our most important person isn't here today, our Queen Jilly, who was so excited about you coming,» he said. «We've been devastated about her, and a little bit of our heart isn't here today.»
Success and Future
The series premiered in October 2024 as Disney+'s most successful general entertainment premiere in the UK. It has won 11 awards from 32 nominations, including an International Emmy for best drama series in November.
Filming for the second series begins in May 2025, with an extended 12-episode run scheduled for release in 2026. Victoria Smurfit noted the overwhelming audience response: «I was amazed there was no age bracket that doesn't come up to you and say, 'I binge watched it'.»
The Queen received a gift bag containing a cushion embroidered with "Revenge is a dish best served on television" and other show memorabilia. She described the series as «good fun» and added: «People want to be lifted and be able to have a good laugh.»
Note: This article was created with Artificial Intelligence (AI).
