Remembering Annette Dionne: Last of the Legendary Quintuplets Passes Away at 91

Sun Dec 28 2025 11:45:39 GMT+0200 (Eastern European Standard Time)

Annette Dionne, the final surviving member of the world-famous Dionne quintuplets, has passed away at the age of 91, leaving behind a legacy intertwined with children's rights and cultural history.

Annette Dionne, the last surviving of the Dionne quintuplets, died at the age of 91, as confirmed by the Dionne Quints Home Museum. Born in a time of economic struggle, the identical sisters gained fame as the first known quintuplets to survive past infancy, becoming celebrities in their youth. Annette was known for her advocacy for children's rights and was instrumental in preserving the history of her remarkable family. Her passing marks the end of an era for the quintuplets, who faced a controversial upbringing and later sought justice for their childhood experiences.

Annette Dionne, the last surviving sister of the Canadian quintuplets, has died at 91, the Dionne Quints Home Museum has announced.

The five identical sisters, born in Ontario at the height of the Great Depression in 1934, were the first known quintuplets to survive past infancy.

They quickly became a global sensation during their childhood - starring in feature films, appearing on the covers of magazines, and endorsing products from toothpaste to syrup.

Much beloved, Annette had championed children's rights, the museum said in a statement announcing her death.

The museum, which seeks to preserve their legacy and educate the public on the quintuplets' controversial upbringing, added: She believed it was important to maintain the Dionne Quints Museum and the history it provides for the future of all children.

The quintuplets - Annette, Yvonne, Cécile, Émilie, and Marie - were taken away from their parents by the Ontario government when they were infants.

For several years, the authorities displayed the children in a compound dubbed Quintland, which became a popular tourist attraction.

The children were constantly examined and observed and had limited contact with their parents and siblings.

Their parents later regained custody of the quintuplets.

As adults, Annette, Cécile, and Yvonne sued the Ontario government for compensation over the circumstances of their childhood, receiving a settlement totaling nearly C$3m in 1998.

Annette was the last surviving sibling out of the 14 Dionne children, the museum said. Prior to Annette and Cécile's deaths this year, Émilie died in 1954, Marie died in 1970 and Yvonne died in 2001.