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Madison Burgess
A poignant open letter that Sophie Kinsella wrote to her daughter before her brain tumour diagnosis has been revealed.
The tragic news was shared this week that the 55-year-old British author, best known for penning the bestselling Shopaholic book series, has died.
Her family posted a statement on Wednesday (10 December) which read: "We are heartbroken to announce the passing this morning of our beloved Sophie (aka Maddy, aka Mummy). She died peacefully, with her final days filled with her true loves: family and music and warmth and Christmas and joy.
"We can’t imagine what life will be like without her radiance and love of life."
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It continued: “Despite her illness, which she bore with unimaginable courage, Sophie counted herself truly blessed - to have such wonderful family and friends, and to have had the extraordinary success of her writing career.
"She took nothing for granted and was forever grateful for the love she received. She will be missed so much our hearts are breaking."
Kinsella, real name Madeleine Sophie Wickham, announced in April 2024 that she had been diagnosed with glioblastoma - an aggressive form of brain cancer.
She explained that she had been receiving chemotherapy and radiotherapy.
The bestselling author is survived by her husband Henry and her children, Freddy, Hugo, Oscar, Rex and Sybella.
Now, following her heartbreaking death, the Daily Mail has resurfaced a public letter she penned to her only daughter Sybella in 2019, before her diagnosis at the end of 2022.
She wrote in the MailOnline at the time: "As I watch you grow up, heading off to school and making friends, I want to help you to become a strong, happy and fulfilled woman.
"Being a writer and a mother often seem like overlapping roles. When I’m writing a book, I think: ‘What should my heroine do now? What should she aim for? What are the pitfalls?’ In the same way, I look ahead and want so badly to smooth life’s path for you."
Kinsella added: "I want good to triumph over bad, for your story to have a happy ending. But, in the real world, I can’t make that happen. All I can do is pass on the lessons I’ve learned and hope you will find them useful."
She went on to pen a long list of the lessons she's learned over the years including the importance of taking a break, that life doesn't always have to be perfect, always have a question ready and to banish wishful thinking.
Kinsella wrote that 'it's so easy to buy into other people's boasting, whether it's on Instagram or in the school playground' but warned her not to always 'believe the hype'.
She told Sybella: "'I was mesmerised by a girl I met on a music course when I was ten. She told me she was allowed to wear lipstick at weekends and smoke and drive her brother's car. And did I realise my jumper was really uncool? I fell for it all - and instantly hated my jumper.
"But people lie. And they exaggerate. (My jumper was no worse than any other hideous Eighties jumper.) And even if it's all true, why share it in order to make someone else feel small?
"Remember, you have more enjoyable things to do with your life than 'compare and contrast'. You could be eating rhubarb crumble or hanging out with nice friends who don't need to boast."
And one of the latter points on the list was that her loved ones would always be there for her.
Kinsella wrote: "I hope you know this instinctively, but it’s worth saying that your family will always be there for you, no matter what."