Jacqueline du Pré

Jacqueline Mary du Pré, OBE (26 January 1945 – 19 October 1987) was a British cellist. At a young age, she achieved enduring mainstream popularity. Despite her short career, she is regarded as one of the greatest cellists of all time. Her career was cut short by multiple sclerosis, which forced her to stop performing at the age of 28. She battled the illness for a further 14 years until her death at the age of 42. She was the subject of the 1998 biographical film, Hilary and Jackie, which attracted criticism for perceived inaccuracy and sensationalism.