Hollywood Legacy: The Untold Story of Elizabeth Taylor’s Children
The Hollywood icon, Elizabeth Taylor was famous not only for her incandescent beauty and dazzling performances but also for her charitable works and tumultuous personal life. A great part of this personal life revolved around her large family.
This comprehensive look into the lives of Elizabeth Taylor’s children provides answers to some of the most commonly asked questions about these lesser-known figures in her fascinating story.
Hollywood Dynasty: Elizabeth Taylor’s Four Children
Elizabeth Taylor’s first son, Michael Wilding Jr., born to her second husband British actor Michael Wilding, led a fascinating life. He traveled to India and England to form a rock band and ventured into acting after being shielded from the media glare in his childhood.
Christopher Wilding, Taylor’s second son with Michael Wilding, was brought up by numerous nannies as Taylor herself was just transitioning into motherhood.
While Christopher chose a behind-the-scenes career in the film industry, his marriage to oil heiress Aileen Getty caused a media frenzy. The legendary actress’s’ first daughter Liza Todd, born from her third marriage to Mike Todd, initially wanted to follow in her mother’s acting steps but eventually became a sculptor in upstate New York.
Taylor’s last child, Maria Burton, was adopted during her union with Eddie Fisher. Maria initially pursued fashion design and modeling before retreating to Taylor’s home post-separation from her husband.
Despite the dramatic nature of Elizabeth Taylor’s life, the actress sought to shield her children from excessive media attention and strived to raise them in a loved, secure environment. After her death in 2011, her children, along with her grandchildren and great-grandchildren, continue to uphold the family legacy, celebrating not only fame and fortune but also resilient motherhood.
Elizabeth Taylor’s Children Today
The descendants of Elizabeth Taylor have embarked on notably diverse paths. Michael Wilding Jr. is involved in the acting sphere whilst Christopher Wilding pursued a career in photography.
Elizabeth’s only biological daughter, Liza, discovered her passion for sculpting. Maria, Taylor’s adopted daughter, has embraced life in academia, earning a reputable position as a social worker in the US.
Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton’s Adoption Journey
Together, Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton did not produce biological offspring. However, their love story was enriched by the adoption of Maria Burton-Carroll born in 1961.
Maria was embraced into their lives when she was just three years old, and despite Burton and Taylor’s eventual divorce, they maintained co-parenting roles in Maria’s life.
The Heirs To Elizabeth Taylor’s Fortune
Elizabeth Taylor’s wealth, estimated to be around half a billion dollars, was primarily distributed among her children. However, a significant proportion was also funneled into The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation, a clear testament to the actress’s dedication to philanthropy and humanitarian causes.
Elizabeth Taylor’s Seven Husbands
Elizabeth Taylor’s romantic history is every bit as storied and dramatic as her acting career, with eight weddings to seven different men over several decades, each union generating great public interest.
Her first marriage was to Conrad Hilton Jr., the hotel heir, in May 1950 when she was only 18 years old. Their union was short-lived, ending in divorce in January 1951.The second man to become her husband was the British actor Michael Wilding, whom she married in February 1952.
Her marriage to Wilding lasted five years and resulted in two sons, but they couldn’t overcome their differences and divorced in 1957.
Later that same year, Taylor married her third husband, film producer Mike Todd. His tragic death in a plane crash in March 1958 ended their marriage abruptly, leaving Taylor a young widow. Taylor then walked down the aisle with singer Eddie Fisher in 1959, sparking a scandal because he left his wife, actress Debbie Reynolds, to marry Taylor.
However, her most discussed union was surely with the Welsh actor Richard Burton, whom she married twice. They first married in 1964 after a passionate affair on the set of “Cleopatra.”
Despite their intense love for each other, the tumultuous relationship ended in divorce in 1974. But they couldn’t stay apart, remarrying in 1975, only to divorce once again a year later in 1976.
In December 1976, only a few months after her second divorce from Burton, Elizabeth married John Warner, a U.S. Senator from Virginia. However, this marriage also ended in divorce in 1982.
In what would be her final marriage, Taylor wed Larry Fortensky, a construction worker, in October 1991. This unlikely match – sealed with a lavish ceremony at Michael Jackson’s Neverland Ranch – would not last, and the couple divorced in 1996.
Thus, Elizabeth Taylor’s love life was as fascinating and varied as her acting career, with every marriage telling a story of intense love, heartbreak, passion, and drama equal to any role she ever played.
Elizabeth Taylor
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Elizabeth Taylor’s life was nothing short of spectacular. While her film roles garnered her fame and accolades, her role as a mother was one that she uplifted with grace, despite the challenges that came her way.
To delve deeper into her enigmatic life, consider reading Elizabeth Taylor by Kate Andersen Brower on Blinkist. Enjoy exploring the life and times of this iconic film star and remarkable woman with a free 7-day trial. Don’t miss out on the chance to meet the woman behind the screen legend in her full complexity and fiery spirit!
