Let me tell you a story about two of the biggest stars in Hollywood history. Elizabeth Taylor knew exactly who Richard Burton was before they ever met. Sure, she admired his talent, but she also knew about his reputation as a womanizer. Yet, when they first locked lips during a love scene for Cleopatra in 1962, something extraordinary happened. Elizabeth's initial skepticism melted away, and she found herself swept up in a whirlwind of passion so intense that it became the buzz not just on set, but across the globe. Elizabeth later reflected, “When you're in love and lust like that, it's like grabbing onto a tornado and riding it out no matter what.”
And what a ride it was! Both Elizabeth and Richard were married at the time—Elizabeth to Eddie Fisher and Richard to Sybil Christopher—but the chemistry between them was undeniable, almost magnetic. It consumed them, leading to their respective divorces and sparking a 13-year saga filled with passion, drama, and heartbreak. They were married for 11 years, divorced, remarried, and then divorced again less than a year later. Elizabeth’s longtime photographer, Gianni Bozzacchi, who wrote My Life in Focus, A Photographer's Journey with Elizabeth Taylor and the Hollywood Jet Set, recalls their relationship as "so powerful that it almost destroyed them." He adds, "It was intense, and it wasn't easy."
The Storm of Their Love
This relationship wasn’t just dramatic—it was explosive. During the filming of Cleopatra, Elizabeth had two suicide attempts, one even in Richard’s presence. This was just the beginning of a self-destructive pattern that would follow them throughout their relationship. Richard, known for his heavy drinking, soon found Elizabeth matching him drink for drink. Their romance became the stuff of tabloid headlines, blending passion and drama in equal measure. Elizabeth once joked about their arguments, saying, “Our fights are like delightful screaming matches, and Richard is rather like a small atom bomb going off.”
Read also:Elton John Refuses To Give Up Amid Vision Loss Battle
But they made up just as dramatically as they fought. Richard famously said, “I introduced her to beer, she introduced me to Bulgari.” And boy, did she love her jewels. Richard showered Elizabeth with extravagant gifts, including the iconic 33.1-carat Krupp diamond. They lived a luxurious life, splurging on designer clothes, decorating their homes with paintings from the old masters, and even owning a yacht and a private jet. But beneath all the glitz and glamour was a love that was undeniably real, yet fragile. Gianni notes, “They were so famous that they couldn’t have a private life. The paparazzi were relentless, and the pressure was immense.”
As time went on, their relationship became more tumultuous. Both continued to battle with alcohol, and Richard's wandering eye sparked explosive arguments that were far from delightful. They were jealous, competitive, and demanding of each other. After their second divorce, Elizabeth reportedly told a friend, “I don’t want to feel that much love ever again. I gave everything—my soul, my being, everything.”
A Love That Never Truly Faded
Even through all the heartache, Elizabeth never stopped loving Richard. Just weeks after marrying her seventh husband, Larry Fortensky, she admitted, “I’m never without it,” referring to the Krupp diamond. “I think of Richard every time I look at it.” In 2009, Richard’s niece, Sian Owen, visited Elizabeth at her Bel Air home and remarked that, 25 years after his passing, Elizabeth still kept a picture of Richard by her bedside. Sian said, “They were soulmates.”
— Alison Gaylin, with reporting by Katie Bruno
