Jilly Cooper partly based the character of Rupert Campbell-Black on Michael Howard, the Earl of Suffolk and Berkshire (Image: GLOUCESTERSHIRE MEDIA) 'He suffered a stroke in April, so it was probably a relief for him in the end.' I’m very lucky to have been able to spend so much time with him. He also had two children with third wife Linda Paravicini and she said: 'We would have been married 40 years next year. His first two marriages produced three children. The three-times married earl wed Simone Litman in 1960 and then Anita Fugelsang in 1973. All the best of Rupert, but without the awful parts.' Despite his title and status, he never made you feel inferior. And he would say, 'Yes, but I’m the real one'.

'So I said, 'You know there are two more?'. Whenever he used to phone, he’d say, 'It’s Rupert here' 'I first met him when I moved to Gloucester in 1982. 'He was a lovely man - huge fun,' Jilly, 83, told Richard Eden at the MailOnline. READ MORE: Countryfile star Adam Henson hosts new pet podcast Michael Howard, the Earl of Suffolk and Berkshire, was one of three men who helped the Cotswold writer dream up Riders hero Rupert Campbell-Black.īut she said the three times married 87-year-old, who hosted the annual WOMAD music festival at his grand country estate Charlton Park, did not have any of philandering Rupert Campbell-Black's 'awful bits'. A Cotswold aristocrat who provided inspiration for all the 'best bits' of one of Jilly Cooper's iconic characters has died.

Riders by Jilly Cooper