Novelist and cultural icon Jackie Collins has died, her "completely devastated,'' family said in a statement this morning.

The star was aged 77 and had – unbeknown to her fans and the wider public – advanced breast cancer, a disease she was first diagnosed with more than six years go.

A spokesman for her family said: "It is with tremendous sadness that we announce the death of our beautiful, dynamic and one of a kind mother, Jackie Collins, who died of breast cancer today.

"She lived a wonderfully full life and was adored by her family, friends and the millions of readers who she has been entertaining for over four decades. 

"She was a true inspiration, a trail blazer for women in fiction and a creative force. She will live on through her characters but we already miss her beyond words." 

Her famous sister Joan Collins, 82, said she was "completely devastated" to lose her "best friend".

Jackie also had three daughters: Tracy, 54, Tiffany, 48, and Rory, 46. And while they and a select few others were aware of her cancer diagnosis – first made more than six years ago – it was only five days ago that she granted PEOPLE magazine a tell-all interview.

Clearly in a reflective mood, Ms Collins said she had no regrets. "Looking back, I'm not sorry about anything I did." 

She continued: "I did it my way, as Frank Sinatra would say. I've written five books since the diagnosis, I've lived my life, I've travelled all over the world, I have not turned down book tours and no one has ever known until now when I feel as though I should come out with it."

The 77-year-old's treatments over the last six-and-a-half years included a lumpectomy, radiation and various drug courses and combinations. 

Over the course of four decades, her 32 books sold more than 500million copies and were translated in 40 languages. Her latest book, The Santangelos, hit shelves in June. 

"Now I want to save other people's lives," Jackie also said in her PEOPLE interview. 

#RIPJackie Collins. I always loved our interviews.

— Oprah Winfrey (@Oprah) September 20, 2015

"She was my best friend," Joan, 82, said today. She was only made aware of her younger sister's terminal diagnosis two weeks ago. "I admire how she handled this. She was a wonderful, brave and a beautiful person and I love her."

Roger Moore, Kris Jenner, Sharon Osbourne, Larry King, Graham Norton, Oprah Winfrey and Elizabeth Hurley are all among the big names paying tribute to her this morning.

Born in Britain, she has been a US citizen for more than half a century. Married twice, her second husband, Oscar Lerman, died of prostate cancer in 1992.

Two years later, Jackie was engaged to Frank Calcagnini, an LA businessman. But they never married, and he died of a brain tumour in 1998.