Overview

• J.K. Rowling celebrated her 60th birthday on July 31, nearly 28 years after her debut Harry Potter novel launched her career.
• A UK Supreme Court decision in April ruled that trans women cannot claim legal equality under existing law, a verdict Rowling publicly hailed.
• Daniel Radcliffe, Emma Watson, and Rupert Grint have distanced themselves from her, illustrating fractures with key figures of the film franchise.
• HBO is progressing with a planned television adaptation of the Harry Potter series for 2027, with Rowling serving as a consultant rather than writing the scripts directly.
• Her commercial clout and philanthropy remain significant: Forbes values her net worth at $1.2 billion and the Volant Trust continues to fund programs for vulnerable women.