Late designer Karl Lagerfeld’s beloved CAT Choupette is yet to receive £1.3 million inheritance

The late fashion designer Karl Lagerfeld’s cat is yet to receive her £1.3 million inheritance four years after his death, meaning the cat can’t retire just yet.

Choupette, 11, was beloved by Lagerfeld and is said to be the most photographed cat in the world, photographed more than 200,000 times.

After his death, she was left to the caretaker of the designer, Françoise Caçote, who stopped working to devote her time to caring for her.

The hefty inheritance would go to Caçote to ensure that neither she nor the spoiled cat would ever be short of anything.

But years later, Lagerfeld’s complex web of assets, funds and debt means his will has not yet been executed, forcing Choupette to continue her career with a possible appearance at the Met Gala later this year.

She will inherit £1.3 million with her new owner, but the money has not yet been released

The former creative director of Chanel, Lagerfeld, took over Choupette from French model Baptiste Giabiconi, who will inherit 30 percent of Lagerfeld’s hundreds of millions of euros.

She soon had 136,000 Instagram followers and her own agent, Lucas Bérulier.

She was treated like a supermodel by Lagerfeld, who took her on his private jets, allowed her to eat from the finest china and stay at the Mercer Hotel when he visited New York.

Choupette has appeared in dozens of fashion and advertising campaigns, most recently on the cover of Vogue for May 2023, where she is cradled by Naomi Campbell.

As a further sign of her success, this week she received an invite to the ultra-exclusive Met Gala, which takes place every year in New York.

The theme of this year’s ball, ‘in honor of Karl’, means she will be the guest of honor – although it has not yet been decided whether she will attend.

The theme of The Met Costume Institute’s spring exhibition is also in honor of the late designer and is titled Karl Lagerfeld: A Line of Beauty.

She was treated like a supermodel by Lagerfeld, who took her on his private jets, allowed her to eat from the finest china and stay at the Mercer Hotel.

The cat (pictured with Lagerfeld) seems to keep working despite her age, though she only makes a few appearances a year now

The exhibition, which opens to the public on May 5, showcases more than 150 objects from Lagerfeld’s six-decade career at Chanel, Chloé, Fendi and his own label.

None of Lagerfeld’s dear friends have received a dime from his global empire, despite the sale of assets such as his Rolls-Royce, artwork and Paris apartment.

The cat seems ready to keep working despite her age, although she only does a few gigs a year now.

She has also given her name to a new charity for stray and abandoned cats, the Choupette Charity Funds.

From the moment the creative director got Choupette, her life was forever changed.

Choupette began her modeling career in August 2012, first posing in the arms of French supermodel Laetitia Casta at the Eiffel Tower.

The cat has since been used in numerous advertising campaigns, including for Opel cars and various make-up ranges.

An entire collection titled ‘Choupette in Love’ was launched in honor of the cat and a Chanel range was inspired by the cat’s eyes.