Bernadette Chirac, the formidable widow of former French president Jacques Chirac and a driving force behind his political rise, has died at the age of 93. Throughout her life, she played a significant, albeit often behind-the-scenes, role in French politics and society, leaving an indelible mark.

As France’s first lady for 12 years, Bernadette Chirac was known as a steely operator who consistently supported her husband. Jacques Chirac served twice as prime minister, 18 years as mayor of Paris, and two terms as president. After her husband stepped back from public life in 2007, she embarked on her own political career, becoming a councillor in the couple’s constituency in Corrèze in central France. She famously declared, “My husband no longer does politics, but I do,” and when asked about him at society events, she would wittily reply, “He’s looking after the dog.”

Born Bernadette Thérèse Chodron de Courcel into a wealthy, aristocratic Catholic family, she was well-connected and intelligent. She met Jacques while both were enrolled at the prestigious Sciences Po university. Despite her parents’ initial disapproval, considering Jacques beneath her social station, the couple married in 1956. Their 63-year marriage was described by Bernadette as a “long lesson in endurance,” largely due to Jacques Chirac’s well-founded reputation as a womaniser. She candidly spoke about her initial heartbreak and eventual acceptance, stating, “At first it was hard. I was heartbroken. Then I got used to it. I told myself that’s how things were and I had to accept it with as much dignity as possible.” Her Catholic upbringing and profound love for her husband were cited as reasons she never divorced him. A notable instance of her composure and dry humor occurred in 1998 when rumors suggested Jacques Chirac was unreachable on the night Princess Diana died in Paris, reportedly with an unnamed Italian actor. Swarmed by photographers, Bernadette calmly told them, “Calm down. I’m not Claudia Cardinale. Or [Gina] Lollobrigida.”

Bernadette Chirac consistently refused to be confined to a purely ceremonial “wife of” role. She possessed a unique blend of humor and haughtiness, delivering cutting, often ironic put-downs in a nasal voice, sometimes even directed at herself. Her distinctive style, characterized by head-to-toe designer dressing, including Chanel suits, large dark Dior sunglasses, and lacquered blond hair, combined with her regal manner, often made her a target for lampooning. Her life at the Élysée Palace was even humorously depicted in the 2023 film “Bernadette,” with Catherine Deneuve in the starring role.

The couple had two daughters, Laurence and Claude. Deep sorrow befell the family due to the illness of their eldest daughter, Laurence, who suffered from severe anorexia after contracting meningitis as a teenager and made several suicide attempts. Laurence tragically died of cardiac arrest in 2016 at the age of 58. Their younger daughter, Claude, became a close press and political adviser to her father. It was the profound tragedy of Laurence’s illness that moved Bernadette to become the figurehead for the “pièces jaunes” (yellow coins) charity, an annual collection of low-value coins that raised millions to support children in hospitals.

French president Emmanuel Macron, along with his wife Brigitte, confirmed her death with “great sadness,” honoring Bernadette Chirac as a woman who not only marked French history but also significantly changed the lives of millions through her dedicated charity work. Macron concluded, “A great lady of the heart has departed.”