Blogging from the Highlands of Scotland
'From fanaticism to barbarism is only one step' - Diderot

Wednesday 23 March 2011

Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor (1932-2011) - R.I.P.

I was saddened to hear that the actress Elizabeth Taylor has died today aged 79. For all of my life she has been regarded as one of the world's great female 'beauties' and her trademark violet-coloured eyes were remarkable. Even in later years, although her beauty had faded and she was latterly not in good health at all, she still retained the glamour and star quality of her earlier years. I must admit that until today, when I started to research her life, I had always assumed she was British, or more specifically English, but although born in London her parents were both Americans who resided here so she had dual British and US nationality by virtue of her place of birth and her parentage. Her personal life was somewhat colourful and she even managed to marry one of her seven husbands (the actor Richard Burton) twice, consecutively, the two having presumably decided after their first divorce to 'give it another go' after a brief period apart, but their second marriage lasted less than a year.

She, as one of the most beautiful actresses around, played opposite many of the most handsome male actors of the time - Richard Burton, Montgomery Clift, Paul Newman and Rock Hudson to name just four.

For many years, later in her life, she was a staunch supporter of AIDS charities and was named DBE ('Dame of the British Empire') by Her Majesty the Queen in the Millennium New Year's Honours List on 31st December 1999. The BBC obituary for Elizabeth Taylor is here. The world is a sadder and greyer place with her passing.


Elizabeth Rosemond Taylor
27 February 1932 - 23 March 2011





~ Rest in Peace ~

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