A dispute over the inheritance of the late French screen legend Brigitte Bardot has intensified following the public leak of a private letter that suggests she cut off relations with her long-term companion, Bernard de Chiara.
The handwritten letter, dated November 2022, three years before Bardot's death, accuses de Chiara of "patiently destroying me day after day." The note is seen as a significant development in the ongoing battle over Bardot's legacy, particularly between de Chiara and the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, an animal rights organization.
De Chiara, who lived with Bardot at her Saint Tropez home, La Madrague, from the early 1990s, was reportedly forced to leave the property a week ago. The 85-year-old is said to have no bank account or social security card, having been financially supported by Bardot for many years.
He has expressed anger over the Brigitte Bardot Foundation's organization of a sale in September of household items, largely from Bardot's Paris apartment. The sale generated nearly €1 million, with proceeds split between the Foundation and Bardot's son, Nicolas Charrier. "I found it extraordinary that just a few months after Brigitte's death, they already wanted to make a souvenir out of her," de Chiara stated.
In the letter, Bardot wrote, "Bernard, it's a failure!" She stated she had given "everything" in search of a companion who could reciprocate her love and share her life, but concluded, "Today I have reached the end-point of my distress... I am so in need of a shoulder, a support, a tenderness, a presence – which you are incapable of giving."
De Chiara, who was known as Bernard d'Ormale and was a businessman and former associate of far-right politician Jean-Marie Le Pen, was never legally married to Bardot under French law, though friends say they had an on-again, off-again relationship and he cared for her until her death. He was living with her when she passed away last December.
Bardot's will divided her estate between the Foundation and her son, with no mention of de Chiara. The will also stipulated that La Madrague should be unoccupied within six months of her death.
As legal representatives work to finalize the inventory of Bardot's assets, the Foundation has accused de Chiara of removing items from La Madrague, including a Mini Moke jeep. "I am not accusing him of theft, but it's gone and that's a problem," said Foundation President Max Guazzani.
According to the Foundation, de Chiara has no legal claim beyond a share in the Paris apartment, which is currently for sale. He is reportedly residing in a town-hall-rented apartment in Saint Tropez.
Guazzini acknowledged that de Chiara's reluctance to leave La Madrague might be understandable on a human level, but emphasized that legal directives and Bardot's wishes must be followed. "It's not our fault that she did not leave him the right to live there. What else are we supposed to do?" he asked.
The Foundation faces significant costs in maintaining Bardot's properties, La Madrague and a second home, La Garrigue. Plans for a museum at La Madrague have been abandoned due to accessibility issues. Instead, the Foundation is considering options such as guided tours, fashion displays, and film shoots to generate revenue.
Bardot, who retired from acting in 1973, dedicated her later life to animal welfare, with her foundation currently caring for 13,000 animals. She was previously married to filmmaker Roger Vadim, actor Jacques Charrier, and industrial heir Gunter Sachs.