Brigitte Bardot Estate Finalized Following 2025 Death

PARIS, Nov 2 (OPA) — The final meeting at the Morel d’Arleux notary office in Paris marks the formal end of the succession process for Brigitte Bardot, who died on December 28, 2025. The proceedings involve the liquidation of extensive assets, including real estate holdings, film rights, and financial investments accumulated during her career and through her marriage to the late billionaire Gunter Sachs.

Ghyslaine Calmels Bock, director of the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, confirmed that the foundation serves as the universal legatee. The legal team successfully appraised the estate’s complex portfolio within one year, aiming to avoid the protracted public disputes that characterized other high-profile French celebrity successions. The foundation currently oversees the welfare of 13,000 animals, a mission that remains the primary focus of the late actress's legacy.

Despite the administrative progress, the transition has been marked by internal friction. Reports indicate ongoing tensions between the foundation’s leadership and Bardot’s final companion, creating a public rift that contrasts with the formal serenity of the notary office. Stakeholders have expressed concern that these disputes could potentially impact the operational stability of the animal welfare programs funded by the estate.

With the November 9 deadline approaching, the executor and legal representatives are moving to finalize the distribution of assets. The conclusion of this process will shift focus toward the long-term management of the foundation’s resources and the preservation of Bardot’s image rights. The foundation maintains that its priority is the continued protection of the animals under its care, regardless of the surrounding legal and personal disagreements.