Elizabeth Taylor is at the top of the list when it comes to iconic
Hollywood royalty. The British-American actress was one of the most
sought-after actors of her period because of her remarkably distinctive
looks, violet eyes, and magnetism on screen.
Alongside her then-partner Richard Burton, Elizabeth gave some of her most
well-known performances in the plays Cleopatra, The Taming of the Shrew, and
Who's Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Elizabeth had a very visible personal life in addition to a very successful
career. She had eight marriages in all, two of which were to Burton.
Taylor's dating life was not without controversy, but in the end she was
able to have the family she had always desired.
She went on to have four more children: Liza Todd, born to her third
husband Mike Todd, Michael Wilding Jr. and Christopher Edward Wilding, born
to her second husband Michael Wilding; and Maria Burton, adopted by her
fifth husband, Richard Burton.
Even though the actress was supported by an incredible family, she had to
deal with a few problems and scandals, particularly in her relationship with
Richard because the two of them were still married when they initially
collaborated on the film "Cleopatra."
Elizabeth was accused of "erotic vagrancy" by the Vatican because of how
contentious their relationship was.
Their later-released private love letters seemed to confirm that, despite
the public's perception of them, the couple was clearly enjoying their
romance.
Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor first met in 1953 at a party in
Hollywood, according to a People Magazine article from October 2023.
They did, however, subsequently get together while they were working on the
"Cleopatra" set, and at the time, their affair was one of the most
talked-about topics in the entertainment business.
Eventually, the couple made the decision to separate from their prior
relationships in order to be together. The couple was married in March 1964.
Before becoming well-known for their many travels to purchase houses,
artwork, and jewelry, the couple apparently had a tumultuous relationship
despite their extravagant lifestyle and abundance of sparkle and
glamour.
In June 1974, after more than ten years of marriage, the couple decided to
get a divorce.
The next year, as they attempted to patch things up, their love for one
another blossomed once more, and in October 1975, they were married once
more.
In her memoirs, Elizabeth stated, "I wouldn't give up one minute of my time
with Richard Burton, even though there were rough times."
Unfortunately, they only had their second marriage for a little over a year
before they filed for divorce a second time.
As shared by The Vampire's Wife, Richard wrote in his August 1969 journal,
"I might run from her for a thousand years and she is still my baby child."
We tire each other out because our love is so intense.
The couple corresponded via letters even though they were already separated
after their divorce.
Richard had sent Elizabeth several letters, but his farewell letter was the
one she carried with her at all times.
The actress referred to the letter—which was written prior to Richard's
untimely death in 1984—as her most priceless asset in a 2010 Vanity Fair
interview. She even kept it next to her bed at all times.
In 1984, The Washington Post published a story stating that Richard died of
a brain hemorrhage in a Geneva hospital. At the time, he was just 58 years
old.
Richard was exceptional in every way and in all that he accomplished. He
was extremely talented while performing on stage, in movies, and when making
love. Elizabeth characterized her ex-lover as the most sweet, caring, and
funny parent she had ever known.
She also mentioned how her kids "worshipped" him and how much in love they
were with him from the minute they arrived in Rome, Italy.
The entertainment community lamented Elizabeth Taylor's passing in 2011
when she passed away in Los Angeles, California, at Cedars-Sinai Medical
Center.
She had been suffering from congestive heart failure for a few weeks before
she passed away, but she had health issues for years before to that and had
been spotted in public using a wheelchair on a few occasions.
She discussed her prior near-death experiences with Larry King in an
interview from 2001, as ABC News reported. She stated, "There must be some
reason that God wants me to live." I have to get on with something, somehow.
And I have to discover what that something is before I take action!
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