Elizabeth Taylor accomplished many things during her life, but one of her proudest achievements was raising her four children, many of whom have followed in her philanthropic footsteps.
Despite having a Hollywood icon as their mother, Elizabeth's children have been able to pursue lives outside of the spotlight, although they all enjoyed close relationships with their mother.
The late Cleopatra actress even described her family as her "best friends" and once commented: "They make me the proudest [out] of anything that I've ever done."
Elizabeth welcomed two sons, Michael Jr. and Christopher Wilding, with her first husband, British actor Michael Wilding. Her eldest daughter, Elizabeth 'Liza' Todd, was born during her marriage to Mike Todd, and she adopted her youngest daughter, Maria Burton, who was born in 1961.
Discover more about Elizabeth Taylor's four children below.
Michael Wilding, Jr., 73
© Getty ImagesBorn on January 6, 1953, Michael is the eldest of Elizabeth's children. The star welcomed her son with her second husband, actor Michael Wilding.
Michael Jr. had a brief acting career in the 1980s, appearing on major American shows like Dallas and Guiding Light. However, he eventually left the entertainment industry to pursue a different passion, sculpting.
“I’m very moved by the shapes that occur when earth, wind and water have their way with the environment,” reads his gallery artist bio. “These are collaborations which sometimes result in great elegance and grace. I’m also interested in conveying a sense of fluidity and movement in the work. For me, sculpting is also a collaboration, a kind of improvisational journey, a conversation with stone."
© Getty ImagesMichael Jr. is a father of three, welcoming daughters Laela and Naomi during the 1970s, and son Tarquin in 1989. He shares his daughters with ex-wife Beth Clutter and partner Johanna Lyke-Dahn, and Tarquin with wife Brooke Palance, whom he married in 1982.
Michael Jr.'s children had a close bond with their grandmother. "She had an idea that she was responsible for raising the younger generations in the family, you know," Naomi told Today in 2021. "It was important to her that she instilled those values in us too.”
© Getty ImagesAll three of Michael Jr.'s kids continue their grandmother's work with the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. Speaking about her legacy to Town & Country in 2017, Tarquin remarked: "We admire my grandmother for her boundless generosity, and I believe that we all feel grateful to be able to honor and continue her legacy. Especially together."
© albane navizetMichael Jr. was also moved by his mother's generosity and reflected in an Instagram post: "We know, quite simply, that the world is a better place for Mom having lived in it. Her legacy will never fade, her spirit will always be with us, and her love will live forever in our hearts."
Christoper Wilding, 71
© J. VespaElizabeth and Michael's second son, Christopher, was born on February 27, 1955, and entered the entertainment industry in a different role, working as a photographer and sound editor on films like Tombstone and Overboard, before his retirement.
Like his older brother, Christopher is also a father of three, sharing sons Caleb, born in 1983, and Andrew, born in 1984, with ex-wife, oil heiress Aileen Getty, whom he divorced in 1989 after eight years of marriage. He shares son, Lowell, born in 1992, with his wife, Margaret Carlton.
© Getty ImagesSpeaking to the Hollywood Reporter about his late mother, Christopher said: "She was so beautiful, some people tended to overlook her great acting chops. I think if she were around today, she'd be most pleased with her philanthropic work."
Liza Todd, 68
© Getty ImagesElizabeth welcomed daughter Liza on August 6, 1957, with husband Mike Todd; however, tragedy soon struck the family when Mike died in a plane crash the following year. After Elizabeth married Richard Burton in 1964, he adopted Liza.
Despite spending time on her mother's film sets in between stints at boarding school in Switzerland, Liza pursued an arts career, and like her eldest brother, she is an accomplished sculptor. In 1984, she married artist Hap Tivey, with the pair welcoming sons Quinn and Rhys in 1986 and 1990, respectively. The couple has since divorced.
© ANL/ShutterstockLike many of Elizabeth's grandchildren, Quinn works with the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. Writing for People, he said: "The fight against HIV/AIDS was such a vital part of her legacy, and although the fight is far from over, I'm honoured to see ETAF continue her work — educating legislators, raising awareness for the public, disproving myths and decreasing fear and stigma."
Maria Burton, 64
© Sonia MoskowitzBorn on January 8, 1961, Elizabeth was in the process of adopting her youngest daughter, Maria, ahead of her marriage to Richard Burton, who eventually adopted Maria also, and she became Maria Burton.
Elizabeth was inspired to adopt her due to her health issues; Maria had undergone nearly two dozen operations for congenital defects. The actress is reported to have said: "I want her all the more because she's ill. Maybe I can do something to help."
© WireImageAlthough she mostly leads a private life, Maria has dabbled in modeling and fashion design, but she is now a philanthropist who has focused her life on social causes.
She is a mother to two children; her daughter, Eliza, was born in 1982, during her marriage to ex-husband Richard Carson. Maria's son, Richard, was born in 2001, and she shares him with her ex-husband, Thomas McKeown.
