“I will leave this world without regret,” said an actor in one of his late interviews. He truly has nothing to regret. In this life, he experienced everything a man could wish for: love, fame, and great wealth. He also outlived almost all the women he truly loved and who loved him. Let’s remember these beautiful ladies and the stories of their love with the French heartthrob.
Romy Schneider
In his youth, Alain Delon was a typical bad boy. Handsome, dangerous, and self-absorbed – such types always appealed to women. Our hero shamelessly took advantage of this. While filming the movie “Christine” in 1958, Delon met the Austrian beauty Romy Schneider. Initially, the actress remained indifferent to the aggressive advances of the French charmer. But Delon knew how to persuade. He quickly discovered her weak point – her troubled relationship with her mother. And he gave her what she lacked – a sense of freedom.
Under the pressure of Alain Delon, Romy gave in. Their passionate romance lasted for several years. Interestingly, Delon’s relationship with Schneider didn’t stop him from pursuing affairs on the side. Romy, however, turned a blind eye to his escapades until a public scandal erupted. The actress found out that Delon had an illegitimate son. In 1964, the couple parted ways. It was said that Delon himself ended it; when the actress returned from a shoot, she found the apartment empty.
The breakup was very painful for Romy. She even tried to take her own life and couldn’t completely suppress her feelings for Delon. They didn’t burn all bridges between them. When the passions subsided, they maintained a friendly relationship and even worked together again. Remember the film “The Swimming Pool”? There was genuine passion and chemistry between them. It was clear that they were truly drawn to each other.
Romy had other relationships after Delon. She had romances, married twice, and had two children. Her film career also flourished. However, she never truly found happiness. Her luck with men was chronically absent. Romy sank deeper into depression, drowning her feelings in alcohol. The death of her 14-year-old son was the final blow for her. She never managed to come to terms with it. Less than a year later, in May 1982, she passed away. According to the official version, her heart simply stopped beating. The Austrian beauty was only 43 years old.
Alain Delon personally took care of the funeral arrangements. As he bid farewell to his former beloved, Delon said, “Goodbye, my beloved doll!” That’s what he called Romy during her lifetime. He even carries a photo of Romy in his wallet to this day.
Nathalie Barthélemy (Delon)
She became the only woman to convince the French heartbreaker to marry her and become his official wife. They were very similar: both were impulsive and passionate, valuing freedom and independence. Nathalie didn’t lose her head over the actor’s advances; she issued an ultimatum. Either marriage or they go their separate ways. To her surprise, Delon agreed to get married.
They soon had a son. However, Nathalie was a poor mother and an inept homemaker. She couldn’t cook, which irritated Delon. She didn’t care for the baby, nor for his older daughter from his first marriage. Her film career took precedence. Their marriage only lasted four years.
However, the ex-spouses managed to maintain a friendly relationship. Even after the scandalous divorce, they continued to communicate and appeared in films together. Furthermore, the actress kept her ex-husband’s last name. She pursued a successful career not only as an actress but also experimented as a screenwriter and director.
She didn’t remarry. Starting from 1983, she lived with her son Anthony and his family. In the last years of her life, she often interacted with Delon. Their relationship was very warm, and they even celebrated Christmas together. When Delon had a stroke, Nathalie, along with her son and Delon’s younger children – Anouchka and Alain-Fabien, took care of him. She never allowed anyone to speak ill of her ex-husband, not to herself or others. She passed away in January 2021 after a prolonged illness at the age of 79.
Mireille Darc
Perhaps the most touching and dramatic relationship in Alain Delon’s life was with the French actress Mireille Darc. It was she who reconciled him with Romy Schneider in her time. Thanks to her, he reconsidered his harsh methods of raising his son, Anthony. She left her acting career behind for him for a remarkable thirteen years and became his wise guardian angel, common-law wife, friend, and business partner – everything in the world. These were one of the longest relationships in the French heartthrob’s life.
However, Delon continued to have affairs on the side. Yet Mireille loved him deeply and forgave everything. But one day, doctors diagnosed her with a severe heart condition. Delon found the best cardiothoracic surgeons and lovingly cared for her after the operation. When Mireille recovered, he left her for a young actress. However, those relationships turned out to be brief flings.
In 1986, Delon met Dutch model Rosalie van Breemen, who was 30 years younger than him. She may have been his last significant love. They lived together for 15 years and raised two children. However, they eventually separated, and during that difficult period, Mireille Darc was there for Alain Delon again, but only as a close friend.
Having overcome the dark period in her life, Mireille returned to the screens. She got married and had a successful career as a documentary filmmaker in the 90s, creating several provocative films that made waves in France. In 2003, she worked with Delon again in the TV series “Frank Riva.” Later, they played the lead roles in the TV play “The Bridges of Madison County.” In 2011, the French actress made her last on-screen appearance in the TV movie “The Big Restaurant 2.” Two years later, Mireille Darc needed a second heart operation. She later suffered a stroke. In 2017, Mireille Darc passed away at the age of 79.
Alain Delon turned 88 years old on November 8, 2023. He remains a bachelor and lives alone in his secluded villa. He has lived a vibrant and eventful life, filled with experiences. As he himself stated, he will leave this world without regret.