EXCLUSIVE: Brigitte Bardot Will Shock — How 'Sex Kitten' Siren is Dividing Up Her Massive $65Million Fortune Between Animals and Her Only Son

Born Brigitte Anne-Marie Bardot in Paris in 1934, she rose from ballet student to global superstar by her early twenties, appearing in 47 films and becoming the face of liberated femininity.

Her decision to retire from acting in 1973 – then aged just 39 – stunned fans.

Yet, it marked the start of the second act that would define her legacy – lifelong devotion to animal rights.

Over the next five decades, she turned fame into activism, founding the Brigitte Bardot Foundation, one of Europe's most powerful voices for animal welfare.

Sources close to Bardot's estate have now confirmed how she decided to distribute her assets before her death.

One longtime associate told us: "Brigitte was absolutely clear – her money should serve the animals she dedicated her life to and ensure her son is secure. She felt those two things were her true family."

Another added: "She believed that compassion was the real legacy worth passing on, in terms of both the animals and the son she spent her life loving."

By the time of her death, Bardot's fortune had quietly appreciated through film royalties, book contracts, and valuable real estate.

Her seaside retreat, La Madrague – purchased in 1958 – remains one of the French Riviera's most famous private homes, valued at nearly $20million.

She also owned Le Castelet, a 13th-century hilltop estate near Cannes, listed for sale in 2020 at roughly $7million.

Even long after she withdrew from public life, her image continued to earn huge cash through global licensing deals and music royalties from albums such as B.B. and Bonnie and Clyde.

Bardot's son Nicolas, 65, was born from her second marriage to actor Jacques Charrier in 1960.

Though their relationship was often described as distant in earlier years, insiders say reconciliation took place well before her death.

"In her final years their relationship deepened," a source said. "He understood her need for autonomy, and she valued his wish for a quiet life. The terms of the will mirror that mutual respect."

Under French inheritance law, Nicolas retains a reserved share of his mother's estate regardless of any charitable endowments.

But sources said there are documents connected to her foundation that suggest Bardot pre-assigned a substantial portion of her fortune to animal protection projects in France, Spain and India – guaranteeing continued funding for causes including sterilization programs, rescue shelters and anti-poaching campaigns.

Even after her controversial court fines in later years – including a 2020 $24,000 penalty for remarks ruled discriminatory – Bardot's finances remained strong.

She neither lived opulently nor invested heavily in luxury brands, preferring simple living in the sunlit isolation of Saint-Tropez.

International tributes have poured in since her passing. French President Emmanuel Macron praised her "French existence" and "universal brilliance."

He added: "She touched us. We mourn a legend of the century."

Fans have been placing flowers outside La Madrague, now likely to be preserved under the Foundation's stewardship.

Bardot once wrote in her memoir Initiales B.B.: "My life has been a rebellion against all cages, whether ornamental or moral."