Queen Camilla has expressed her sadness at the death of Lord Jeffrey Archer, describing him as an “irrepressible life force through all the many differing chapters of his life”.
Lord Archer, an author and former Conservative politician, died “suddenly and peacefully at his home between writing sessions” on Monday, his publisher Harper Collins said.
He spent five years as a Conservative MP prior to serving as the party’s deputy chair.
Archer made millions out of his best-selling novels, most notably Kane And Abel, after his first publishing success with Not A Penny More, Not A Penny Less in 1976.
The Queen paid tribute to Lord Archer from her position as founder of the Queen’s Reading Room charity, which was supported by the author.
In her message on Tuesday, Camilla wrote: “Seldom does an author get to live a life as rich, varied and colourful as any of the characters in their books, or with as many surprising plot twists.
“Jeffrey Archer was an exception to the end.
“It was therefore with sadness that I learned of his death yesterday, on the eve of publication of his final work and so soon after appearing at my Queen’s Reading Room Festival.”
Camilla sent her sympathies to his widow Mary and his family.
“I hope it may be some consolation for them to know what pleasure Jeffrey brought to me and to so many millions of readers through the pages of his works,” she wrote.
“While he was not without flaw, his friends will recall him as an irrepressible life force through all the many differing chapters of his life.
“Wherever the next page turns to, I trust there will be champagne and Shepherd’s Pie in abundance.”
The message ended with “Camilla R”.
Harper Collins said that Lord Archer had met and signed books for hundreds of fans at a sold-out event with broadcaster Gyles Brandreth at the Leicester Square Theatre in central London on Sunday.
Lord Archer‘s political career was cut short when he was sentenced to four years in prison in 2001 for perjury and perverting the course of justice.
An Old Bailey jury ruled that he had lied during a libel suit against The Star newspaper 13 years prior, where he had been awarded £500,000 in damages.
Following an early release in 2003, he rejoined the House of Lords until retiring in 2024.
Speaking to BBC Breakfast, in an interview that aired just days before his death, Lord Archer said he had “learnt a lot” from being in prison and added that “we all make mistakes”.
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