Brigitte Bardot's Disinherited Husband Slams Auction of Her Personal Items
Bernard d'Ormale, who lived with the French icon until her death, calls the sale of her clothes and underwear 'scandalous' and disrespectful to her memory.
The final husband of French cinema legend Brigitte Bardot has voiced outrage over the auction of her personal belongings, calling the sale of her clothes and underwear "scandalous" and a betrayal of her memory.
Bernard d'Ormale, 85, who lived in luxury with the former actress until her death in December at age 91, was left with nothing in Bardot's will. He now resides in a modest council flat and is reportedly furious that items ranging from her trademark straw hats and ballet shoes to intimate apparel are being sold.
The auction, held at the Hotel Drouot in Paris, features approximately 300 lots. Proceeds from the sale are designated for the animal charity founded by Bardot and for her son, Nicholas Charrier. However, d'Ormale contends the sale is disrespectful, stating, "These are personal items. Why hold this sale? For the animals? It's a joke and disrespectful to Brigitte's memory."
He expressed concern that this auction could be a precursor to the sale of Bardot's beloved properties, including her Mediterranean home, La Madrague, and another estate in St. Tropez.
"If the idea ever crosses their minds to sell everything off just like this auction, how can I prove the items belonged to Brigitte or were part of my private life?" d'Ormale told French newspaper Nice Matin. "Brigitte certainly wouldn't have agreed to this sale – she would have sent them packing."
The couple had a religious wedding in Norway in 1992, but their marriage was not legally recognized in France. D'Ormale claimed that he himself had stated he did not want any inheritance.
A spokesperson for the Brigitte Bardot Foundation asserted that d'Ormale was president when the auction was agreed upon, a claim he denies. He also spoke of being forced to leave La Madrague, where he had lived for 35 years.
Bardot, who retired from public life in 1973, was a significant cultural figure in the 1950s and 60s, starring in 47 films and recording numerous songs. Later in life, she became a prominent animal rights activist and was convicted multiple times for incitement to racial hatred. Her other marriages were to director Roger Vadim, actor Jacques Charrier, and socialite Gunter Sachs.
