Brigitte Bardot was diagnosed with cancer before she died on December 28, according to her husband, Bernard d'Ormale.
Speaking to French magazine, Paris Match, ahead of her funeral on January 7, Bernard explained that Brigitte had undergone two surgeries for cancer before she passed away peacefully at the age of 91.
The actress had been experiencing severe back pain, according to Bernard, but was at peace when she died at her home in Saint-Tropez, France.
© Getty ImagesThe couple — who had been together for 33 years — were by each other's side until the end. He recalled the moment she died and the last words she said to him.
"I sat up when I heard her say 'Pioupiou,' that little nickname we used for each other in private, and then it was over."
Bernard confessed to the magazine that Brigitte told him she was "fed up," and wanted to "leave." She was surrounded by her loved ones, including her beloved cats and dogs, at her cottage in the final weeks of her life.
© Getty ImagesThe translation of his interview reads: "I never left her side. I watched over her, supported by nurses who came discreetly every day." He added: "In the morning, when I served her the breakfast she loved. Like a child, she also had her afternoon snack: tea with milk and a croissant."
Her funeral
© AFP via Getty ImagesBernard's interview came on the eve of her funeral in Saint-Tropez. Photos from the memorial in France showed hundreds of people gathering to pay tribute to the screen siren.
© Getty ImagesBrigitte will be laid to rest at the Notre-Dame-de-l’Assomption Catholic Church.AP reported she will be buried in a cemetery overlooking the Mediterranean Sea.
Health battle
Brigitte — who also sparked controversy in recent years over racist and xenophobic comments — endured several health setbacks in recent years, including a two-year breast cancer battle in 1984. She was forced to shut down false claims of her death in October 2025 after reports spread online that she had passed away.
The news was announced on December 28. The Brigitte Bardot Foundation, which is dedicated to the protection of animals, told Associated Press at the time that she died at her home in southern France.
Shortly after news of her death was announced, The Brigitte Bardot Foundation said in a statement: "The Brigitte Bardot Foundation announces with immense sadness the passing of its founder and president, Madame Brigitte Bardot, a world-renowned actress and singer, who chose to abandon her prestigious career to dedicate her life and energy to animal welfare and her foundation.
"The Brigitte Bardot Foundation wishes to pay tribute to the memory of an exceptional woman who gave up everything for a world more respectful of animals. Her legacy remains, living through the actions and battles that the foundation pursues with the same passion and the same loyalty to her ideals."
