Elizabeth Taylor was one of Hollywood’s most iconic stars, but off-screen, her most important role was being a mother.
The legendary actress welcomed four children over the course of her life, each from different chapters of her famously high-profile relationships. However, while she was known for her glamour and headline-making romances, her family remained a constant and deeply personal part of her story.
Who Are Elizabeth Taylor’s children?
Beyond the spotlight and her legendary film career, Elizabeth Taylor built a close-knit family that she fiercely protected from public scrutiny. Even at the height of her fame, she kept her children largely out of the spotlight and focused on being present in their lives.
She welcomed two sons, Michael Wilding Jr. and Christopher Wilding with second husband Michael Wilding. The couple was married from 1952 through 1957.
Taylor birthed a daughter, Elizabeth (nee Liza) with third husband Mike Todd, during their marriage which lasted for only one year before he died in a plane crash in March 1958. According to her official website, Todd was considered one of the great loves of Taylor’s life. Additionally, her fourth child, Maria Burton, was adopted by Richard Burton and the actress.
Were Elizabeth Taylor’s Children Involved in the Entertainment Business?
GettyMichael Wilding Jr. was a star on the daytime soap opera “Guiding Light,” playing Jackson Freemont until 1987. Additionally, he starred on the nighttime serial “Dallas” where he played the recurring role of Alex Barton. He is father to Laela, Naomi, Wilding and Tarquin Wilding.
His brother Christopher also worked in the entertainment industry, as a photographer and film editor on the 1987 film “Overboard,” and 1993’s “Tombstone.” He is a father of three children, Caleb, Andrew, and Lowell.
Liza Todd is a sculptor, per PEOPLE Magazine. She is a mother of two, and one of her sons, Quinn Tivey is one of the trustees of his grandmother’s estate, and of the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. Todd has a second son, Rhys Tivey.
Maria Burton has led a private life, but did pursue writing and directing, working on films such as “Just Friends” (1996) and “Temps” (1996). She is a mother to one daughter, Elizabeth Carson and additionally is an ambassador for the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation.
Elizabeth Taylor Was Married Seven Times
According to Elizabeth Taylor’s official website, the actress was married seven times.
Taylor’s first marriage was to Conrad “Nicky” Hilton Jr. However, the union lasted eight months, from 1950 through 1951. The website cited emotional and physical abuse as the reason their union ended.
Michael Wilding was Taylor’s second spouse. They were wed from 1952 through 1957. Producer Mike Todd was husband No. 3, and her second shortest marriage, as passed away after a plane crash.
Todd’s best friend, Eddie Fisher, was Taylor’s fourth husband. They were married from 1959 through 1964 and at the time, were the most scandalous couple on the planet as Fisher left his wife, actress Debbie Reynolds, to be with Taylor.
GettyHusbands number five was Richard Burton. The couple were married from 1964-1974 before divorcing and marrying again in 1975. They divorced in 1976.
Senator John Warner met Taylor on a blind date and they married the same year they met, 1976. They remained wed through 1982.
Finally, Larry Fortensky was Taylor’s final husband, whom she met while being treated at the Betty Ford Center. They remained married from 1991 through 1996. She told Johnny Carson, “I never thought I’d get married again,” before tying the knot with Fortensky. She added there was nothing “show-bizzy” about their relationship. “It’s very private,” she added.
Elizabeth Taylor passed in 2011. She was 79.
