Elizabeth Taylor’s Birthday
Today, we celebrate the vibrant life and enduring legacy of Elizabeth Taylor — a woman who redefined what it means to be a Hollywood icon. On what would have been her 93rd birthday, we’re answering some commonly asked questions about her.
When and where was Elizabeth Taylor born?
Elizabeth Taylor was born in London on February 27, 1932 to American parents Sara and Francis. The two had been childhood friends in Kansas before they went their separate ways, though both in New York, with Francis moving to work for his multimillionaire art-dealing uncle while Sara pursued an acting career. Having reconnected in New York and moved to England before the birth of Elizabeth and her older brother Howard, their lives changed suddenly and drastically with the approach of World War II. The impending conflict forced the Taylors to flee England and return to the States. In 1939, Sara boarded the SS Manhattan with the two young children, and a plan for Francis to join them as soon as he wrapped up business in London. During their weeklong journey, Elizabeth watched The Little Princess, starring Shirley Temple, and fell in love with movies – an appropriate foreshadowing of what her life would become.
What is Elizabeth’s zodiac sign?
Elizabeth’s late February birthday makes her a Pisces — the most dreamy sign of the zodiac. Characterized by strong intuition and deep empathy, Pisces placements often feel driven by their emotions, especially love. Elizabeth’s full birth chart reveals additional Pisces placements, emphasizing those characteristics, as well as fire sign placements like her Sagittarius Rising, which belies her active and passionate nature, as she was never afraid to show the world who she was.
How did Elizabeth celebrate her birthday?
Never one to pass up a party, Elizabeth celebrated her birthday in style year after year. For her 40th birthday, she and then-husband Richard Burton spent a festive weekend together in Budapest alongside famous friends such as Princess Grace of Monaco (Grace Kelly), Ringo Starr, Michael Caine, Susannah York and Raquel Welch. As far as her gift, Richard used the opportunity to add to her iconic jewelry collection, gifting her a one-of-a-kind art deco-style Bulgari sapphire and diamond sautoir. Designer Halston, whose dresses Elizabeth favored, hosted her 46th birthday party at the famed Studio 54. For her 55th, her friends Carole Bayer Sager and Burt Bacharach hosted a star-studded celebration at their Bel Air home in her honor, with Bob Dylan, Michael Jackson, Bette Davis, and Stevie Wonder in attendance. And for her 60th, Elizabeth spent the night indulging her inner child at Disneyland with family and 800 of her closest friends by her side.
Some birthdays were more dramatic than others. Elizabeth rang in her 30th birthday in Rome, during the filming of Cleopatra, where she was falling in love with future husband Richard Burton — while married to then-husband Eddie Fisher. For the occasion, Eddie gifted Elizabeth a Bulgari brooch, studded with colorless, brown, and yellow diamonds and accompanied by matching earrings and a ring. But even presented with such a luxurious gift, Elizabeth's love could not be bought, and her passion for Richard was undeniable. Soon after her birthday, she split with Eddie and moved on to a romance with Richard.
When it came time for Elizabeth to celebrate her 65th birthday, she allowed ABC to put together a star-studded evening commemorating this milestone, with celebrities like Madonna, Cher, Hugh Grant, and her dear friend Michael Jackson, who wrote and performed a special song in her honor. Hollywood Boulevard was shut down for the evening, as the party took place at the Pantages Theatre with the specific purpose of raising money and awareness for The Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. The evening amassed over $1 million in donations for ETAF, and it remains a legendary night in Hollywood, with those funds providing supportive services for people living with HIV/AIDS and preventative education for those most in need.
Everyday, but especially today, we celebrate Elizabeth and her legacy of courage, boldness, empathy, and going out of her way to make the world a better place.