Elizabeth Taylor’s life was characterised by her renowned jewellery, eight marriages, her Hollywood career, and her brave activism, especially her groundbreaking battle against AIDS. Cultural luminaries like Taylor Swift, who paid tribute to her in the 2025 song “Elizabeth Taylor,” are motivated by her legacy today.
An Overview of Elizabeth Taylor
One of the most identifiable and iconic figures in film and culture is still Elizabeth Taylor. She was born in London on February 27, 1932, and grew up in Beverly Hills. Her breakthrough performance in National Velvet (1944) enthralled viewers from an early age. She became a two-time Academy Award winner during her career, appearing in Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, Cat on a Hot Tin Roof, and Cleopatra.
However, Elizabeth Taylor’s influence went much beyond her career as an actress. She was known for her violet eyes, glitz, and renowned jewellery. She was also an unrepentant lover who had eight marriages. In addition, she was a bold campaigner who, when few others dared to speak out, founded the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation and raised millions for HIV/AIDS research.
Her influence is still felt in the twenty-first century, as seen by the 2025 hit song “Elizabeth Taylor” by Taylor Swift, the documentary that paid homage to Kim Kardashian, and the ongoing interest in her advocacy, marriages, and jewels.
Elizabeth Taylor’s Early Notoriety and Connections
At the age of twelve, Elizabeth Taylor made her Hollywood debut in National Velvet. She quickly became famous because of her unmistakable charm and beauty.
Mickey Rooney Affair (1940s): Rumours connected 14-year-old Taylor to 25-year-old actor Mickey Rooney during the National Velvet production. According to biographers, their romance lasted for many years and sparked debate decades later.
In the 2000s, Taylor had a strong friendship with Irish actor Colin Farrell, whom she lovingly referred to as her “last great love.” It demonstrated her strong ability to connect even in her latter years, even though it was never proven to be romantic.
Taylor’s personal life has always garnered as much attention as her films, a trend that persisted throughout her eight marriages and international renown.
The Eight Marriages in Order by Elizabeth Taylor
1. Conrad “Nicky” Hilton Jr. (1950–1951)
On May 6, 1950, Taylor married hotel heir Conrad Hilton Jr. at the age of 18. The marriage devolved into violence, despite the wedding being a sumptuous celebration at the MGM studio. “The honeymoon lasted two weeks,” Taylor recounted afterwards. Disillusionment followed. After only eight months, they got divorced.
2. Wilding, Michael (1952–1957)
Taylor married 20-year-old British actor Michael Wilding in 1952. Before divorcing in 1957, they had two kids together: Christopher and Michael Jr. After Hilton, Taylor said Wilding was a soothing presence, but she acknowledged that their age gap made her uneasy.
3. From 1957 to 1958, Mike Todd
It’s possible that Taylor’s first major passion was film producer Mike Todd. Liza Todd is the only child of their 1957 marriage. Taylor was devastated when Todd tragically perished in a plane tragedy in 1958. She referred to her enormous engagement ring, which weighed 29.4 carats of diamonds, as her “ice skating rink.”
4. Fisher, Eddie (1959–1964)
Following Todd’s passing, Taylor turned to singer Eddie Fisher, who was wed to her friend, actress Debbie Reynolds, for solace. Tabloids labelled the crisis that resulted from Fisher’s departure from Reynolds “Hollywood’s betrayal.” They got married in 1959, but after Taylor started seeing Richard Burton, they got divorced in 1964.
Fifth and sixth, Richard Burton (1964–1974; 1975–1976)
- Taylor’s most well-known romance was with her co-star Richard Burton from Cleopatra.
- The Vatican denounced their affair as “erotic vagrancy,” and it made headlines.
They became the most glamorous couple in the world as soon as they were married in Montreal in 1964. They starred together in eleven films, including Taylor’s second Oscar-winning film, Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?
Known as the “Battling Burtons,” they quarrelled, made amends, and splurged on extravagant extravagance, including jewellery and yachts.
Burton lavished Taylor with expensive presents, such as the 33-carat Krupp diamond, the 69-carat Taylor-Burton diamond, and the La Peregrina Pearl.
They got divorced in 1974, got married again in Botswana in 1975, and got divorced once more in 1976. “I was still madly in love with him the day he died,” Taylor subsequently said.
7. Warner, John (1976–1982)
In 1976, Taylor wed US Senator John Warner. She found politics and farm life in Virginia oppressive, despite her best efforts to adjust. In 1982, they got divorced. “I wasn’t the love of his life, and he married the Senate,” Taylor said afterwards.
8. Fortensky, Larry (1991–1996)
Larry Fortensky, a construction worker who was 20 years her junior, was Taylor’s last husband. In 1991, they were married in a widely reported wedding at Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch. They were close until her death, even though their marriage dissolved in 1996.
READ MORE : Elizabeth Taylor’s Scandalous Love Life-The Truth Behind 8 Marriages
Elizabeth Taylor’s Wedding Dresses and Engagement Rings
Elizabeth Taylor’s jewels and dresses immortalised her romances:
- William Pawley Jr.: diamond ring with a cushion cut (1949 fiancé).
- Hilton: a platinum ring set with four carat diamonds.
- Wilding: a ring of sapphire and diamond.
- Todd: an emerald-cut diamond weighing 29.4 carats.
- Fisher: a bracelet made of fifty diamonds rather than a ring.
- Burton: Taylor-Burton diamond, La Peregrina Pearl, Krupp diamond, and emerald Bulgari brooch (proposal).
- Warner: a diamond, emerald, and ruby ring.
- Victor Luna, who was engaged in 1983, wore a 16-carat sapphire ring.
- A sapphire and diamond ring for Dennis Stein, his fiancé from 1984.
- Fortensky: wedding band with pavé diamonds.
Among her gowns were the traditional satin from Hilton’s wedding and the famous canary yellow gown from Irene Sharaff’s 1964 Burton wedding, which is currently housed in her digital collection.
Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor-An Unwavering Love
The most famous romance in Hollywood is still that of Taylor and Burton. They had a volatile, passionate, and frequently destructive relationship. “I love Elizabeth to the point of idolatry,” Burton once wrote.
They quarrelled in public, made a theatrical reconciliation, and showered each other with letters and jewellery. They returned to the stage for Private Lives in 1983. Taylor subsequently disclosed that Burton wrote her a farewell love letter prior to his passing in 1984, stating his wish to get back together. In 2011, it was buried with her.
The Fashion, Jewellery, and Archive of Elizabeth Taylor
The most well-known private jewellery collection of this kind was Taylor’s. Her pieces brought in a record $116 million at the 2011 Christie’s auction.
The Elizabeth Taylor Estate digitised her personal collection in 2025, which included:
- Costumes for Cleopatra
- Huge wardrobe
- Wedding gowns, such as the Burton gown from 1964
- She attended the 1976 Oscars wearing a crimson Halston chiffon dress.
“Elizabeth embraced collaboration with designers, often contributing her own creative ideas,” according to fashion historian Janice Holmes.
The Health Issues of Elizabeth Taylor
Taylor has severe health issues in spite of her beauty:
- Surgery for brain tumours (1997)
- Spinal injuries, pneumonia, and skin cancer
- Later-life tracheotomy and wheelchair use
- Her legend was shaped by her tenacity. She famously said, “I get around in a wheelchair, but I get around.”
The Humanitarian Legacy and Activism of Elizabeth Taylor
One of the first famous people to combat the stigma associated with AIDS was Elizabeth Taylor. She raised millions of dollars as a co-founder of amfAR following the death of Rock Hudson in 1985. She started the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation in 1991 and raised money for it by selling unique pictures from her ninth wedding.
She pushed world leaders for financing for research and convinced President Ronald Reagan to recognise the disease. Her foundation continues to lead the world in HIV/AIDS care today.
Taylor Swift and Elizabeth Taylor-Legacy Lyrics
“Elizabeth Taylor” from Taylor Swift’s album The Life of a Showgirl was released in 2025. The song makes clear comparisons between the lives of the two Taylors.
Swift sings about vulnerability in the spotlight, love, and fame:
- “Really, do you think it’s forever if your letters ever said, ‘Goodbye,’ I’d cry my eyes violet / Elizabeth Taylor?” — a clear reference to Taylor’s tumultuous loves and violet eyes.
- Taylor’s White Diamonds scent, jewellery, and well-publicized weddings are all mentioned in the line, “All my white diamonds and lovers are forever / In the papers, on the screen, and in their minds.”
- “Be my NY when Hollywood hates me / You’re only as hot as your last hit, baby” ties Swift’s personal struggles in the music business to Elizabeth’s erratic career.
Swift echoed Taylor’s independence by fighting to regain her masters, just as Taylor rejected Hollywood studios to want authority.
Taylor Swift’s long-time aide Tim Mendelson said: “Elizabeth would have loved her.” They were similar in their tenacity, glitz, and bravery.
Elizabeth Taylor in Contemporary Society
- Kim Kardashian, executive producer of the BBC’s Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar (2024), conducted Taylor’s last interview for Harper’s Bazaar. Taylor was referred to by her as her “ultimate role model.”
- In 40 hours of frank interviews from 1964, which were made public by HBO’s Elizabeth Taylor: The Lost Tapes (2024), Taylor admitted, “I made horrendous mistakes, and I paid for them.”
- Taylor Swift’s memorial ensured that her name remains relevant across generations by bringing her tale to a younger audience.
Elizabeth Taylor’s Lasting Legacy
Elizabeth Taylor was not just a famous person in Hollywood. She was a cultural figure, activist, survivor, and lover. She became a legend because of her eight marriages, jewels, AIDS campaigning, and fortitude in the face of disease.
From Kim Kardashian’s documentaries to Taylor Swift’s songs, her impact is evident in activism, music, and film.
“I’m a survivor — a living example of what people can go through and survive,” Taylor herself once said.
Elizabeth Taylor is still a timeless representation of beauty, bravery, and passion.
FAQ’S
What has made Elizabeth Taylor most well-known?
The most well-known things about Elizabeth Taylor are her eight marriages, her renowned jewellery collection, her Hollywood acting career, and her violet eyes.
What caused the death of Elizabeth Taylor?
At the age of 79, she passed away in 2011 from congestive heart failure.
When Elizabeth Taylor passed away, how much money did she leave behind?
Elizabeth Taylor’s jewels, artwork, and commercial endeavours were valued at between $600 million and $1 billion.
What was the number of guys Elizabeth Taylor married?
Elizabeth Taylor had eight marriages, including two to Richard Burton, and seven to other men.
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