French icon, Brigitte Bardot has passed away at the age of 91. Here's everything you might want to know about her last husband and her earlier relationships.
French cinema has witnessed a major loss towards the end of the year with the death of Brigitte Bardot. She had been one of the world's most defining beauty icons of the 1950s and 1960s, who bid farewell at the age of 91. The news about her demise was confirmed by her foundation, which revealed that the legend spent her final moments at her home in southern France.
Brigitte's demise marks the end of a turbulent, glamorous, and deeply controversial life that made headlines in the 1950s and 1960s. She had reportedly undergone some surgery a few months ago, but no official cause behind her death has been revealed. Amid her death learn all about her fourth and final husband, Bernard d'Ormale.
At the time of her death, Brigitte Bardot was married to a businessman, Bernard d'Ormale. He was her fourth and longest-lasting husband, who spent around 33 years by her side. Bernard tied the knot with Brigitte on August 16, 1992 and supported her during her last moments. According to Variety and People, Bernard was often described as Brigitte's most steady partner, who valued her personality beyond her fame. Sharing the same, Brigitte once told in her past interview:
"He loved me for myself, not my image."
Bernard d'Ormale is a former business and political figure. He was earlier appointed as the advisor to Jean-Marie Le Pen, the founder of France's far-right National Front Party. He held similar, albeit controversial, and political beliefs to Brigitte. Although the views brought them criticism, they continued to have a successful and private marriage. The couple lived a quiet life after her retirement, surrounded by animals at the actress's iconic Saint-Tropez villa, La Madrague. Previously, when the 91-year-old suffered a severe breathing issue due to heat in 2023, Bernard was the one to assure fans about her recovery and revealed that the actress was unable to bear heat like others.
Brigitte Bardot was not just renowned for her bold on-screen performances but also for her eventful and chaotic personal life. She first tied the knot to French filmmaker, Roger Vadim at the age of 18 in 1952, who had helped her launch a global career with his controversial 1956 film, Et Dieu Créa La Femme, later retitled And God Created Woman. The movie turned Brigitte into a global s** symbol, and despite their divorce in 1957, they continued to remain on cordial terms. She next tied the knot with Jacques Charrier in 1958 and welcomed her only son, Nicholas, in January 1960.
However, Brigitte had realised early on that motherhood was not for her and openly admitted the same in her memoir, Initiales B.B. She described that pregnancy felt overwhelming and emotional complex to her, making it difficult to form a bond with her son. Soon, the couple filed for divorce in 1962, and Jacques won the custody of his son. The veteran actress tied the knot for the third time in 1966 to German millionaire and photography enthusiast, Gunter Sachs. They had an extravagant romance where Gunter once famously showered her villa with thousands of roses from a helicopter. But the grand gestures were not enough to save their marriage from ending in 1968. However, they remained on amicable terms, and Gunter once said:
"A year with Bardot was worth ten with anyone else."
Apart from these marriages, Brigitte had several high-profile relationships, including one with actor Jean-Louis Trintignant and musician Serge Gainsbourg, who wrote the song, Je T'aime… Moi Non Plus for the actress before she insisted it be shelved. Apart from her relationships, she committed her life to animal activism and far-right political commentary. Brigitte is survived by her husband, Bernard d'Ormale and her son, Nicolas.
Rest in peace, Brigitte Bardot.
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