When Karl Lagerfeld died in 2019, much was made of the millions his cat Choupette was about to inherit.
The sum the gorgeous white cat would come into was reported to be as high as £150million.
It’s understood that the Chanel visionary also left his pet a sum of £1.5m, separate from the will. This was to ensure that Choupette wouldn’t have to go a single day anywhere but the lap of luxury.
But it has now been claimed that the cat, which has been touted as the richest in the world, hasn’t even received anything.
The blue-eyed Birman was left in the care of the German designer’s housemaid Françoise Caçote, who had until then been the cat’s primary lady-in-waiting, diarist and caretaker. (We should all be so lucky as to live like Choupette.)
Caçote has now told The Atlantic they have received ‘absolutely nothing’, despite the reported sums of money.
In an interview conducted over email, Caçote told the publication: ‘I have had to hire expensive lawyers to claim the inheritance in my name and ensure that Karl’s wishes are properly respected.
‘While things are being sorted out, I’m doing my best to honour his wishes, especially that Choupette wants for nothing. That’s my top priority.
‘In addition to caring for her, I work part-time to support her. She receives all the love, attention, and care she needs.
‘The most important thing is that she’s happy, surrounded by love and affection, and protected as Karl would have wanted. We remain hopeful that the situation will one day be resolved peacefully.’
Elsewhere in the interview, Caçote spoke about what caring for Choupette involves, saying: ‘I’m always afraid of being judged.
‘What I do know is that Choupette is happy at home, and that’s the main thing.’
As for what Choupette was doing as the interview was conducted? ‘She’s taking a quiet nap.’
Lagerfeld welcomed Choupette into his life in August 2011. She first belonged to model Baptiste Giabiconi, but Lagerfeld agreed to cat-sit while he travelled.
Yet when Giabiconi returned from holiday to collect Choupette, Lagerfeld said he had fallen in love with her and could not give her back.
The designer told CNN in 2013 that if it were legal, he would marry the blue-eyed moggy.
He said: ‘There is no marriage, yet, for human beings and animals… I never thought that I would fall in love like this with a cat.’
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