Paris, June 13, 2026 — The Europe Today: Princess Lalla Meryem represented King Mohammed VI of Morocco at the funeral ceremony of former French First Lady Bernadette Chirac, held on Friday at the Basilique Sainte-Clotilde in Paris’s 7th arrondissement.
Upon arrival at the basilica, Princess Lalla Meryem was received by Claude Chirac, daughter of the late Bernadette Chirac. The Princess took her seat inside the church alongside France’s First Lady Brigitte Macron. Morocco’s Ambassador to France, Samira Sitail, also attended the solemn ceremony.
The funeral brought together several high-profile French political figures, including former Presidents Nicolas Sarkozy and François Hollande, alongside other senior state representatives and public personalities. Former Prime Ministers Jean-Pierre Raffarin, Dominique de Villepin, Michel Barnier, and Édouard Philippe were also present.
Senior political and institutional figures, including Senate President Gérard Larcher, former ministers Jack Lang and Roselyne Bachelot, as well as actress and singer Line Renaud, attended the ceremony in tribute to the late First Lady.
Earlier, King Mohammed VI had sent a message of condolence to Claude Chirac, expressing “profound emotion” upon learning of the death of Bernadette Chirac and extending his “sincere condolences” and “compassion” to the bereaved family. In his message, the monarch paid tribute to the late First Lady’s distinguished human and public legacy, highlighting her longstanding ties with Morocco and her support for Franco-Moroccan friendship.
King Mohammed VI recalled the historical bonds of “mutual consideration, shared trust, and faithful friendship” between the Chirac family and the Moroccan Royal Family, noting that these relations contributed to strengthening bilateral ties between Morocco and France. He also expressed personal sympathy, stating that the memory of Bernadette Chirac would remain associated with enduring shared moments of respect and friendship.
Bernadette Chirac, widow of former French President Jacques Chirac, passed away on June 5 at the age of 93. She is remembered as the only French First Lady to have held elected office in her own right, serving as a Corrèze departmental councillor from 1979 to 2015.
The funeral ceremony was held at the historic basilica, where Bernadette and Jacques Chirac were married in an adjacent chapel. The venue also hosted the funeral of their daughter Laurence in 2016. The church was partially open to the public, with speakers installed outside allowing attendees to follow the service.
During the ceremony, only one address was delivered by Martin Rey-Chirac, the couple’s grandson. Following the service, Bernadette Chirac was laid to rest in the family vault at Montparnasse Cemetery in Paris. A further tribute is scheduled in Corrèze, including a religious ceremony in Tulle and a public gathering at Domaine de Sédières.
