Elizabeth Taylor Said 'I Do' 8 Times — Take a Look Back at All of Her Husbands In Order (2024)

Liz was just 18 when she said "I do" to hotel heir Nicky Hilton in 1950. The nuptials coincided with the release of her wedding-themed film, Father of the Bride, and the studio reportedly picked up the tab for the actress' dress and their celebration as promotion for the flick. On top of the 600 guests in attendance, more than 3,000 fans surrounded the church to get a glimpse of the young newlyweds.

Unfortunately, Taylor and Hilton split less than a year later in 1951. During their three month European honeymoon, things turned rocky, with Hilton spending most evenings gambling on their romantic getaway. Elizabeth later admitted to going into the marriage with a "very naive" idea of wedded bliss.

It didn't take long for Taylor to bounce back from her first marriage. She and English actor Michael Wilding tied the knot in 1952.They had two sons: Michael Jr., born in 1953, and Christopher, born in 1955.

Rumor has it that Wilding grew jealous of Liz's star power rising steadily higher than his, which led to the couple's split in 1957. However, it was said by Taylor that they had "a friendly divorce," according to his obituary in The Washington Post.

Not one to stay alone for long, Taylor married her third husband, movie producer Mike Todd, in 1957. The couple had one daughter, Liza, who was born that same year. Tragically, Todd died in a plane crash just a year later in 1958.

"God, I loved him. My self-esteem, my image, everything soared under his exuberant, loving care," she wrote in her book, Elizabeth Takes Off.

In 1959, still mourning the loss of Todd, Taylor married Eddie Fisher in Las Vegas. Fisher was a good friend of Todd and grew closer to Taylor as a source of comfort after her husband's passing — but their union caused controversy with the singer leaving his wife, actress Debbie Reynolds, who had also been friends with Liz.

However, the couple divorced in 1964 and the two actresses were eventually able to patch things up between them.

After Burton as both her fifth and sixth husband, John Warner became number seven. The Republican politician from Virginia was asked to escort the starlet to a dinner in Washington, DC, hosted by Queen Elizabeth at the British Embassy in 1976. Sparks flew between them that night and the pair said "I do" that same year.

Liz's acting roles on Broadway and in London and Warner's political career in DC eventually caused the couple to drift apart and divorce in 1982, but they remained on friendly terms.

"He knows he wasn't the love of my life. And I know I wasn't the love of his life. But we loved each other," Elizabeth Taylor toldThe New York Timesin 2002. "We got along wonderfully until he decided to be a politician. And then he married the Senate."

Taylor's eighth and final husband was her most surprising union of all: Larry Fortensky, a construction worker 20 years her junior. They met under unusual circ*mstances while both checked in at the Betty Ford Clinic. After supporting each other's recovery, the couple tied the knot in 1991 at Michael Jackson's Neverland Ranch.Larry later admitted that constantly being in the public eye wasn't easy for him and put a strain on their relationship. “Those cameras everywhere,” he told PEOPLE in 2011. “Elizabeth was used to it. I never got used to it.”

They split in 1996, but like Warner, always stayed on good terms with each other.

Of course, Elizabeth Taylor's long line of husbands pales in comparison to her even longer list of classic performances in film and on stage. But there's no denying she liked to keep things interesting! Remember this giant sparkler she loved to show off from husband number five (and six), Richard Burton?

Just like her violet eyes and dedication to her kids, these love stories are just another reason Elizabeth will forever remain a legend in all our memories.