Swiss-Frenchman turned 88 years old Acting legend Alain Delon is dead

Alain Delon has died at the age of 88. This was announced by his three children in a joint statement on Sunday morning. The French film icon also had a Swiss passport.

French film star Alain Delon is dead. The actor died at the age of 88, the French news agency AFP reported on X, citing his three children Alain-Fabien, Anouchka and Anthony.

The statement said that the film legend "passed away peacefully at his home in Douchy surrounded by his three children and his family".

Public dispute over inheritance

In 2019, the family had to cope with a stroke of fate: Delon suffered a stroke and his health had been deteriorating ever since. The actor himself no longer appeared in public very often.

Delon's youngest son Alain-Fabien once commented on his father's condition in "Paris Match": "Sometimes he's there, sometimes he's somewhere else. Most of the time, you don't know what's going on in his head."

What made the headlines recently was the dispute over the inheritance between the actor's three children. The question arose: where should the film icon with a Swiss passport spend the rest of his life? This was probably because inheritance tax is lower in Switzerland than in France - and Delon had Swiss citizenship.

The dispute and the question of where and how her father should be treated were aired in public. Daughter Anouchka wanted to bring her father to Switzerland, but her brothers Anthony and Alain-Fabien did not. They accused her of manipulation.

Most recently, a former housekeeper of Delon's was also involved in the dispute.

Citizenship in the canton of Geneva

Alain Delon is still considered an icon in European cinema today. His breakthrough came in the 1960s. The actor became famous for his roles in the films "Only the Sun Was Witness" (1960) and "The Icy Angel" (1967), among others.

Born in France, he was granted Swiss citizenship in 2000. Delon owned an apartment in Geneva and lived for a time in Chêne-Bougeries GE.

Editor's note: An initial version of this text stated that Delon had "Swiss roots". It is correct that Delon, who was born in France, has also held a Swiss passport since 2000. We apologize for this error.