Sophie Kinsella left behind a family after she died in December 2025 following a battle with glioblastoma. The late 55-year-old is survived by her children, and her loved ones broke the news of her death that month.
“We are heartbroken to announce the passing this morning of our beloved Sophie (aka Maddy, aka Mummy),” the announcement, which was shared to Kinsella’s Instagram, read. “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.”
The statement 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.”
Learn about Kinsella’s family, including her children, here.
Who Was Sophie Kinsella?
Kinsella, whose real name was Madeleine Sophie Wickham, is best known as the author of the Shopaholic book series, which was adapted for the big screen through the 2009 film Confessions of a Shopaholic, starring Isla Fisher.
These are the Kinsella’s popular Shopaholic books in order:
- The Secret Dreamworld of a Shopaholic (also published under Confessions of a Shopaholic)
- Shopaholic Abroad (also published as Shopaholic Takes Manhattan)
- Shopaholic Ties the Knot
- Shopaholic & Sister
- Shopaholic & Baby
- Mini Shopaholic
- Shopaholic on Honeymoon
- Shopaholic to the Stars
- Shopaholic to the Rescue
- Christmas Shopaholic
Was Sophie Kinsella Married?
Yes, Kinsella was married to her husband, Henry Wickham. The couple met at Oxford, and he worked as a schoolmaster while managing his wife’s business affairs.
How Many Children Did Sophie Kinsella Have?
Kinsella and her husband shared five children: four sons and a daughter.
How Did Sophie Kinsella Die?
Kinsella died following a battle with grade 4 glioblastoma, a malignant brain tumor that she was diagnosed with in 2022. She broke the news of her diagnosis in 2024 and opened up about her battle on Good Morning America that year.
“The first symptoms that I had was … my legs. I was stumbling, I was tripping,” she said at the time. “I started getting very severe headaches. I got very confused. But it was really when I started tipping over in my chair that we realized something really was wrong.”
After undergoing an eight-hour surgery to remove the tumor, Kinsella still required chemotherapy and radiation treatment. She suffered from a memory loss as well.
