Brigitte Bardot Dies at 91 as France Weighs How to Honor a Divisive Icon

Overview

• Fondation Brigitte Bardot confirmed her death at 91, with no detailed cause released after recent serious illness and surgery in a Toulon hospital.
• Foundation representative Bruno Jacquelin said she died before dawn Sunday with her husband, Bernard d'Ormale, at her side.
• President Emmanuel Macron praised a "life of freedom," while far-right figures offered early tributes and other politicians noted her polarizing record.
• Conservative leader Eric Ciotti called for a national funeral and launched a petition, as family preparations proceed and officials consider possible honors.
• Bardot’s legacy spans global stardom and animal-rights activism through her 1986 foundation, alongside five court convictions for hate speech that continue to shape public responses to her death.