Jeffrey Archer dies aged 86: Bestselling author and politician passes away suddenly and peacefully at home

DAILYMAIL.COM • 5h ago

By SAM LAWLEY, NEWS REPORTER 21:29 05 Oct 2026, updated 21:52 05 Oct 2026

Jeffrey Archer has died suddenly and peacefully at home aged 86, publishers Harper Collins have announced.

The best-selling novelist passed away ‘between writing sessions’ just a day before the scheduled release of his new book Adam And Eve, the publisher added.

His novels have sold more than 300million copies in 115 countries. He leaves his wife Dame Mary, 81, an eminent scientist, and sons William, 54, and James, 52 – and five young grandchildren.

Mr Archer was the MP for Louth between 1969 and 1974 and later entered the House of Lords in 1992 after being made a life peer.

After losing his seat in the 70s, he turned to writing with his 1979 novel Kane And Abel still one of the best selling books in the world having sold over 30 million copies.

Reviving his political career the following decade, Mr Archer became the deputy chairman of the Conservative party in 1985 while Margaret Thatcher was Prime Minister.

He announced in 1999 he was running for the Mayor of London for the Tories, receiving the backing of Baroness Thatcher and John Major.

Lord Archer and Dame Mary celebrated their 60th wedding anniversary in July with a garden party for 321 friends at their second home, the Old Vicarage in Grantchester, Cambridge.

The couple also owned a penthouse on the Thames as well as a place in Majorca, where Jeffrey wrote many of his novels.

Estimates this year placed the novelist’s fortune at around £200million but he declined to comment on this when speaking to the Daily Mail in September.

Lord Archer’s last interview was with the Daily Mail last month where he discussed his career and health issues.

Following a cancer diagnosis in 2013, Lord Archer of Weston-super-Mare had surgery to remove his prostate which, he revealed, rendered him permanently impotent.

‘I’d rather have a life. “Fertile and dead”. It’s not much of a choice, is it?’ he previously said.

Adam And Eve was always to be his final novel, with Lord Archer telling this paper: ‘I’m 86. I don’t think I could do it again. So why not go now?

‘It’s hard work. I write every word in longhand with felt tip pen on a 32-line pad. I hand-wrote 18 drafts over two years. I don’t know how to turn on a computer.’

He added in September: ‘I find old age tiresome. I don’t think I’d like to live to 100. I have a hip problem.

‘I can’t move as fast as I’d like to but thankfully Mary and I both seem to be firing on all cylinders mentally.

‘Alzheimer’s is my biggest dread, so I test my memory all the time; for names, places, events.’

After suffering financial difficulties following the end of his first stint in politics in 1974, Jeffrey and Mary were saved first by her offer of a teaching job at Cambridge University, and later by his £2million advance for Kane And Abel.

Lord Archer was forced to resign as deputy chairman of the Conservatives after he was accused of paying money to a sex worker.

He won a libel case in 1987 over the claims and was awarded large damages.

Lord Archer’s infidelities were publicly documented during and after his subsequent trial for perjury and perverting the course of justice in 2001, for which he was found guilty and served two years in prison.

He famously had a three-year affair with the late actress Sally Farmiloe, and another with his then secretary Andrina Colquhoun.

Dame Mary once said she’d never considered divorcing her husband but had come close to murdering him.

Always read the small print: The extraordinary case of the bungling council that sold a run-down…

Pictured: Girl, 11, found dead in park – as police probe ‘unexplained’ death

Police lock down ENTIRE town to stop anti-migrant unrest as 12 protesters arrested after nearly 150…

Dozens of residents of village with a population of 700 vow to ‘sell up and move’ over plans to…

Kieran Hayler accuses Katie Price of ‘setting him up’ as court told he ‘pinned down and raped…

GP is found dead in her home ‘while hosting a children’s sleepover’ near Sandringham estate: Man is…

‘Why would anyone start a business in the UK now?’ Jeremy Clarkson hammers Labour in surprise…

White House on high alert and ‘assessing options’ as plague breaks out in Russia with hundreds put…

Green Party is reported to the police over its ‘Zionism is racism’ motion – but Polanski ignores row…

The shabby West London street plagued by 33 fast food restaurants, 11 barbers and tacky vape…

Nearly all women who try to reach UK in small boats are raped during their journey, Home Secretary…

University professor who led secret double life as paedophile continued working despite guilt – and…

‘Israeli 9/11 terrorist pilot dreamed of crashing plane into Tel Aviv’s airport or tower complex and…

Afghan lorry migrant who stabbed innocent dog walker to death after trying to murder his landlord…

Student, 15, has hand blown off while trying to throw stun grenade back at police as far-left…

Body of missing girl, 11, is found in park as police probe ‘unexplained’ death

Jeffrey Archer dies aged 86: Author and politician passes away at homeComments are subject to our House rules and TermsNewest{{#isModerationStatus}}{{moderationStatus}}

No one seems to have shared their thoughts on this topic yetLeave a comment so your voice will be heard first.

{{upVotes}}{{downVotes}}{{#replies.comments}}{{^isLast}}{{initials}}{{userAlias}}, United Kingdom, {{formattedDateAndTime}}{{message}}

{{upVotes}}{{downVotes}}{{/isLast}}{{#isLast}}{{initials}}{{userAlias}}, United Kingdom, {{formattedDateAndTime}}{{message}}

{{upVotes}}{{downVotes}}{{/isLast}}{{/replies.comments}}{{/replies.totalCount}}{{^replies.totalCount}}{{initials}}{{userAlias}}, United Kingdom, {{formattedDateAndTime}}{{message}}

{{upVotes}}{{downVotes}}{{/replies.totalCount}}{{/isComment}}The opinions and views expressed in the comments section are solely those of the individual users and do not represent or reflect the opinions, views, or positions of MailOnline. MailOnline does not endorse, support, or verify the accuracy of any user-generated content.Terms|Privacy|FeedbackOldest{{#isModerationStatus}}{{moderationStatus}}