Last of Canada’s Dionne quintuplets dies aged 91

Annette Dionne, the last surviving sister of the Canadian quintuplets, has died at age 91, the Dionne Quints House Museum said.

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

Even as children, they quickly became a global sensation: they starred in feature films, appeared on magazine covers and advertised various products, from toothpaste to syrup.

“Much-loved Annette was a champion of children's rights,” the museum said in a statement announcing her death.

The museum, which seeks to preserve their legacy and educate the public about the five's controversial upbringings, added: “She believed it was important to preserve the Dionne Quints Museum and the history it provides for the future of all children.”

The quintuplets – Annette, Yvonne, Cecile, Emily and Marie – were taken from their parents by the Ontario government when they were babies.

For several years, authorities exhibited children at a complex called Quintland, which became a popular tourist attraction.

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

Their parents later regained custody of the quintuplets.

As adults, Annette, Cecile and Yvonne sued the Ontario government for compensation for the circumstances of their childhood, and in 1998 they received compensation totaling almost C$3 million.

According to the Dionne Quints Home Museum, Annette was the last surviving sister of Dionne's 14 children.

Before Annette and Cecile died this year, Emily died in 1954, Marie died in 1970, and Yvonne died in 2001.