Brigitte Bardot died on 28 December 2025 at the age of 91. A leaked letter confirms her final estrangement from her husband, Bernard d'Ormale, whom she excluded from her will. Regarding their relationship, Brigitte Bardot wrote, "Bernard, it was a total failure." She further described the dynamic of their separation, stating, "He destroyed me with patience, day after day." Under the terms of her estate, the majority of her assets will be transferred to her animal rights foundation and her son, Nicolas. These arrangements mark the definitive end of her long-term marriage to Bernard d'Ormale, finalizing the division of her personal holdings. The decision to exclude Bernard d'Ormale from the inheritance was a specific provision outlined within her final testamentary documents.
Decades of Marital Discord
Brigitte Bardot and Bernard d'Ormale remained married for 33 years. Records confirm the couple wed in 1992 in Norway. Their union lasted from that ceremony until the death of Brigitte Bardot on 28 December 2025. This period encompassed their time living together at La Madrague in Saint-Tropez. The duration of this marriage exceeded her previous unions with Roger Vadim, Jacques Charrier, and Gunter Sachs. Legal documentation identifies these 33 years as the longest marital commitment in the life of Brigitte Bardot. The couple conducted their private affairs primarily between their residence in Saint-Tropez and occasional visits to Paris. Max Guazzini previously described elements of their social circle in Le Figaro, noting the duration of their association prior to the finalization of their estrangement. The marriage, which spanned more than three decades, was characterized by the couple’s shared residence in Saint-Tropez, though the correspondence suggests a growing distance between the two parties over the course of their final years together.
The Foundation Leadership Transition
Bernard d'Ormale held the position of president at the Brigitte Bardot Foundation for several years. This tenure concluded in September 2026, at which time Max Guazzini succeeded him in the role. Following the transition in leadership, the administrative direction of the organization underwent significant changes.
Ownership of the La Madrague property in Saint-Tropez currently rests with the Brigitte Bardot Foundation. Brigitte Bardot donated this residence to the organization in 1992. Representatives for the foundation have formally requested that Bernard d'Ormale vacate the premises. This request follows the conclusion of his tenure as president of the foundation.
Personal correspondence authored by Brigitte Bardot on 17 November 2022 provides further insight into her perspective on the marriage. In this letter, she detailed her feelings of loneliness during her final years. The document also explicitly addresses her perception of a lack of support from her husband. The sentiments expressed in this 2022 letter are consistent with the later descriptions of the relationship found in the documents surrounding her estate and the subsequent exclusion of Bernard d'Ormale from her will. The foundation continues to manage the assets donated by Brigitte Bardot, including the La Madrague estate, as it navigates the transition period following the departure of Bernard d'Ormale from his leadership position and the legal actions regarding the property.
