Joanne Rowling, better known by her pen name J.K Rowling, is a British author and philanthropist. She is famous for writing Harry Potter, a seven-book fantasy series that became a worldwide sensation. The series was so popular that it was translated into 84 languages and turned into a successful movie franchise.
| Common Name | J.K Rowling/Robert Galbraith |
| Full Name | Joanne Rowling |
| Age | 60 years old (as of 2025) |
| Date of Birth | July 31, 1965 |
| Gender | Female |
| Occupation | Author |
| Marital Status | Married |
| Husband | Neil Murray |
| Nationality | British |
| Net Worth | $1 billion |
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J.K Rowling Biography
Joanne Rowling, better known as J.K. Rowling, is a famous author best known for creating the Harry Potter series. These fantasy novels later became a successful movie franchise. She was born on July 31, 1965, in Yate, Gloucestershire.
In 1990, while working as a researcher for Amnesty International, she came up with the idea for the Harry Potter series. The first book was published in 1997, followed by six more in the series. The final book was released in 2007. A year later, Forbes named her the highest-paid author in the world.
J.K Rowling Educational Background
Rowling attended Wyedean School, a state school she joined at the age of eleven. She has shared that she experienced bullying during her time there. One of her favorite teachers, Lucy Shepherd, inspired her by emphasizing the importance of structure and precision in writing.
At Wyedean, Rowling took A-levels in English, French, and German, and she was named head girl of the school. In 1982, she applied to Oxford University but was not accepted. Instead, she attended the University of Exeter, where she studied French and graduated in 1987.
J.K Rowling Career
In June 1995, J.K. Rowling finished writing the first book in the Harry Potter series, Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone. Her manuscript was rejected by 12 publishers before Bloomsbury finally published it on June 26, 1997, with an initial print run of 5,650 copies.
The next three books in the series were released quickly between 1998 and 2000. The fifth book, Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix, took longer to complete but sold millions of copies on its first day when it was published in 2003. The same happened with the sixth book, Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince, which also broke sales records on its first day. The series concluded in 2007 with the release of Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows.
In 1999, Warner Bros. purchased the film rights to the first two Harry Potter books for about $1 million, starting what would become a hugely successful movie franchise. Rowling has since signed more contracts expanding the Harry Potter franchise.
In 2013, Rowling was revealed as the author of the crime novel The Cuckoo’s Calling, which she had published under the pseudonym Robert Galbraith. In an interview with The New York Times, she confirmed she was the writer. She has continued to write books under the Robert Galbraith name.
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J.K Rowling Age
J.K Rowling was born on 31 July 1965, she is 60 years old as of 2025
J.K Rowling Books
Harry Potter Series
- Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone (1997)
- Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets (1998)
- Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban (1999)
- Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire (2000)
- Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix (2003)
- Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince (2005)
- Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows (2007)
Companion Books for the Wizarding World
- Fantastic Beasts and Where to Find Them (2001)
- Quidditch Through the Ages (2001)
- The Tales of Beedle the Bard (2008)
Cormoran Strike Series (written under the pen name Robert Galbraith)
- The Cuckoo’s Calling (2013)
- The Silkworm (2014)
- Career of Evil (2015)
- Lethal White (2018)
- Troubled Blood (2020)
- The Ink Black Heart (2022)
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J.K Rowling Personal Life
J.K. Rowling was born into a middle-class family. Her parents, Anne and Peter James Rowling, met on a train traveling from King’s Cross Station to Arbroath, Scotland. She has a younger sister, Dianne, who is two years her junior.
In the early 1990s, Rowling moved to Portugal to teach English as a foreign language. During her time there, she had a brief marriage and gave birth to her daughter, Jessica Isabel Rowling Arantes. After facing domestic abuse from her then-husband, the marriage ended in a divorce, and she returned to the United Kingdom with her daughter.
On December 26, 2001, Rowling married Neil Murray, and they have two children together: David Gordon Rowling Murray and Mackenzie Jean Rowling Murray.
Rowling is also known for her philanthropy. She founded the Volant Charitable Trust and has supported many other charitable causes. It is estimated that she has donated over £100 million since the release of her first Harry Potter book.
J.K Rowling Awards
- Nestlé Smarties Book Prize (1997, 1998, 1999) – For the first three Harry Potter books.
- British Book Awards (Children’s Book of the Year) (1998, 1999) – For Harry Potter and the Philosopher’s Stone and Harry Potter and the Chamber of Secrets.
- Whitbread Children’s Book of the Year (1999) – For Harry Potter and the Prisoner of Azkaban.
- Hugo Award for Best Novel (2001) – For Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
- Locus Award for Best Fantasy Novel (2001) – For Harry Potter and the Goblet of Fire.
- Bram Stoker Award for Best Work for Young Readers (2003) – For Harry Potter and the Order of the Phoenix.
- Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) (2001) – For services to children’s literature.
- Légion d’Honneur (France, 2009) – Awarded by the French President for her contribution to literature.
- Hans Christian Andersen Literature Award (2010) – Recognizing her lasting impact on children’s literature.
- Freedom of the City of London (2012).
- Companion of Honour (CH) (2017) – For services to literature and philanthropy.
- National Movie Awards (2008) – For Outstanding Contribution to Cinema.
- British Academy Film Awards (BAFTA) (2011) – Outstanding British Contribution to Cinema for the Harry Potter film series.
J.K Rowling Net Worth
As of 2025, J.K. Rowling’s net worth is estimated to be over $1 billion. Her wealth comes from a combination of book sales, movie adaptations, and licensing deals.
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J.K Rowling Social Media Handles
Instagram: @rowllingofficial
Facebook: J.K. Rowling