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Brigitte Bardot letter to her husband saying he ‘destroyed’ her ‘day after day for 30 years’ is revealed as he battles her family over her will
A 2022 letter from Brigitte Bardot to her husband, Bernard d’Ormale, has emerged as he disputes how her estate and belongings are being handled. In it, Bardot said he had “destroyed” her over 30 years and described feeling deprived of affection and support. The letter adds context to a bitter dispute following the film star’s death in December 2025, aged 91.
Bardot left her estate to her animal charity, the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, and her only son, Nicolas Charrier, rather than d’Ormale, with whom she had spent 33 years. He has complained about being evicted from their home in St Tropez and losing his role at the foundation, while his lawyer says he was treated deplorably. The article also reports that an auction sold many of Bardot’s personal possessions, and that her 1992 religious wedding to d’Ormale in Norway was not legally valid in France.
In short
- Bardot’s letter accused her husband of destroying her over three decades.
- She left her estate to her foundation and only son.
- Her husband is disputing how he was treated after her death.
Steelman: both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Bardot’s letter and the reported decisions about her estate may support the view that she felt deeply hurt and chose to direct her assets and possessions elsewhere. Her stated wishes, including leaving her estate to her son and animal charity, deserve respect, and the foundation may reasonably argue that selling personal items helps fund its work.
The case against
D’Ormale’s long relationship with Bardot and his account of being evicted and removed from his role at the foundation may support his view that he has been treated unfairly. He may also reasonably seek clarity about how her estate and belongings are being handled, while disputing the implication that the letter alone captures the full history of their marriage.
Explained simply
Brigitte Bardot was a French actor and singer who became an international film star in the 1950s and later campaigned for animal welfare. She founded the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, a charity that works to protect animals, and had one son, Nicolas Charrier.
Bardot and Bernard d’Ormale lived together for 33 years. Her estate was left to the foundation and Charrier, and questions about her belongings and the couple’s home have become part of a dispute involving d’Ormale and members of her family.