Rupert Edward Algernon Campbell-Black is a fictional character in the Rutshire Chronicles series of romance novels written by Jilly Cooper. He is the eighth-generation descendant of Rupert Black (who married Miss Campbell). Campbell-Black's first appearance is in the novel Riders, which follows the lives and loves of a group of horse riders and show-jumpers. Although initially portrayed as a brutish, womanizing, adulterous cad, Campbell-Black's character is later somewhat redeemed through his triumphant winning of an Olympic gold medal for Great Britain. His loyalty is also highlighted through his friendships with Billy Lloyd-Foxe, Ricky France-Lynch and Declan O'Hara, as well as his gentle courtship of his second wife Agatha 'Taggie' O'Hara. He has five children: Marcus and Tabitha from his marriage with Helen Macaulay, adopted children Xavier and Bianca with Taggie, and the illegitimate Perdita.
Cooper has acknowledged that the character of Campbell-Black was inspired by David Somerset, 11th Duke of Beaufort, Andrew Parker Bowles, the former husband of Queen Camilla,[1] and Michael Howard, 21st Earl of Suffolk.[2]
In September 2016, Bantam Press published Mount! with the strap line 'Rupert Campbell-Black is back...'.
Appearances
- Riders (1986 novel) and Riders (1993 film)
- Rivals (1988 novel)
- Polo (1991 novel)
- The Man Who Made Husbands Jealous (1993 novel and 1997 television miniseries)
- Appassionata (1996 novel)
- Score! (1999 novel)
- Pandora (2002 novel)
- Wicked! (2006 novel)
- Jump! (2010 novel)
- Mount! (2016 novel)
- Tackle! (2023 novel)