JK Rowling is a famous British author who happens to be the brains behind the popular Harry Potter series. The book which is a seven volume children’s fantasy series which she started in 1997 and brought it to an end in 2007 with Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
The Harry Potter series she wrote has been very successful, selling over 500 million copies world wide and by 2004 became the first billion dollar author in the world.
But what else do you know about the legendary author? Read along for more.
JK Rowling Biography
The legendary author was born Joanne Rowling on July 31, 1965 at Cottage Hospital in Yate, Gloucestershire. However, she is widely known by her own name, J. K. Rowling.
Her parents, Peter James Rowling and Anne Rowling were both in the navy when they first met. However, they later left the navy after Anne got pregnant so they can focus on the baby.
Joanne started her education at St. Michael’s Church of England Primary School in Winterbourne and later continued to Wyedean School and College. Despite developing the passion for writing at a very young age, Joanne rather opted to study French and the classics at the University of Exeter. But that was after her application was rejected by Oxford University.
Rowling developed the habit of reading right from her childhood and was always seem reading books. Her parents were also instrumental in all this as they used to read books such as “The Wind in the Willows” to her and her younger sister.
By age six, Rowling wrote her first story called Rabbit and wrote another when she was eleven titled “The Seven Cursed Diamonds”. The rest is now history.
Rowling was named as the first billion dollar author in 2004 by Forbes although she later rejected such assertion. But clearly she was worth millions of dollars even at that time.
Forbes again ranked her as the highest paid author in 2008, 2017 and 2019.
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How Old Is JK Rowling?
Rowling is 57 years old as of 2022. She was born on July 31, 1965 in Yate, Gloucestershire, England.
How Old Was JK Rowling When She Wrote Harry Potter?
Rowling was thirty (30) years when she finished writing the first Harry Potter, “Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone” in 1995. The book was later published in 1997 by Bloomsbury Publishing after it was rejected by a number of publishers.
What Is JK Rowling’s Real Name?
The author was born Joanne Rowling but is widely known by her pen name, J. K. Rowling.
Who Are JK Rowling’s Parents?
Rowling was born to Peter James Rowling and Anne Rowling who were both in the navy when they first met in a train to their naval postings. They later left the navy after Anne got pregnant and married on March 14, 1965 at the age of 19.
JK Rowling Husband
Rowling has been married to Neil Murray since December 2001 and had their son and daughter in 2003 and 2005 respectively. But before Neil Murray, Rowling was previously married to Jorge Arantes, a Portuguese journalist.
They got married in October 1992 and had their daughter, Jessica Mitford a year later on July 27,1993. However, Rowling was subjected to domestic abuse and later divorced in 1995.
How Many Children Does J. K. Rowling Have?
Three (3). Rowling has three children from her two marriages. She had one with her ex-husband and two with Murray.
Their names are Jessica Isabel Rowling Arantes, Mackenzie Jean Rowling Murray and David Gordon Rowling Murray.
Is J. K. Rowling Still A Billionaire?
No. Even in 2004 when Forbes names her as the first billion dollar author, Rowling denied such claims saying she isn’t a billionaire. Forbes finally claimed she was no longer a billionaire in 2012 due to her charitable donations and taxes.
J. K. Rowling Net Worth
The issue of the net worth of the legendary author has been contestable. Her net worth was estimated to be around £820 million by Sunday Times Rich List In 2021 which made her the 196th richest person in the UK at the time.
However, her net worth as of 2022 is estimated to be £1.1 billion although the author herself doesn’t believe she is a billionaire. She owns a £2 million house in Edinburgh and another £4.5 million Georgian house in Kensington.