Brigitte Bardot, the French film star who later became a prominent animal rights activist, has been laid to rest following a funeral service in Saint-Tropez attended by Marine Le Pen, the far-right leader and one of her favoured political figures.
Bardot died aged 91 on 28 December at her home, La Madrague, in Saint-Tropez. Her death was confirmed by her husband, Bernard d’Ormale, who said she died of cancer. He told Paris Match that she had undergone two operations and had faced her illness “very well” before it claimed her life last month.
The funeral took place at the Notre-Dame de l’Assomption church and was broadcast on large screens across the town, allowing residents to follow the ceremony.
Bardot rose to international fame in the 1950s and is widely credited with transforming French cinema. Films such as And God Created Woman made her a global star and a symbol of sexual liberation, challenging the social conventions of her era.
She retired from acting in the early 1970s and devoted the rest of her life to animal welfare, founding the Brigitte Bardot Foundation and becoming one of Europe’s most recognisable campaigners for animal rights.
In later years, however, her political views attracted controversy. Bardot became increasingly aligned with the far right and alienated many admirers with her outspoken positions on immigration. She was convicted five times for hate speech, particularly over remarks about Muslims, and remained openly supportive of the National Rally party until her death.
Among those attending the funeral were members of her family, including her son, Nicolas-Jacques Charrier, 65. Also present were the singers Mireille Mathieu and Jean-Roch, television personality Caroline Margeridon, and Paul Watson, the marine conservationist and animal rights activist.
Le Pen, who has previously described Bardot as a model for Marianne, the female symbol of the French republic, attended the service. The two women shared a long-standing mutual admiration, with Bardot once referring to Le Pen as a modern-day Joan of Arc.
Bardot’s commitment to animal rights was a central theme of the commemorations. Bruno Jacquelin, a spokesperson for the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, said ahead of the ceremony that it would reflect her character and wishes, adding that it would be simple, with “some surprises”.
Her death prompted a wave of tributes but also renewed criticism of her public positions. Sandrine Rousseau, a Green party politician, questioned what she described as a contradiction in Bardot’s legacy, saying it was troubling to show compassion for animals while remaining indifferent to the deaths of migrants in the Mediterranean.
