Elizabeth Taylor was famous for many things. She was an icon, glamor queen, Hollywood legend, AIDS activist—you name it.
She was a mentor and a friend to an entire generation of artists. Thus, her sudden passing in 2011 made quite a ruckus in the industry.
“I admired and respected her, not only as an actress but for her amazing and inspiring work as an AIDS activist. She was one of a kind,” said Madonna to People.
However, what you may not know about Elizabeth Taylor, is how she was also a mother who raised four beautiful children, even one she didn’t carry.
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Today, I’ll share everything about Maria Burton, Elizabeth Taylor’s second adopted daughter. Discover her early life, career path, and relationships.
Maria Burton Biography
Before she married Richard Burton, Elizabeth Taylor was already in the process of adopting Maria. Eventually, after marrying Taylor, Burton adopted the young Maria as his own and shared his surname.
Early Life
Maria Burton was a German orphan born on January 8, 1961. Despite being adopted by a renowned family, the identities of Maria’s biological parents remain undisclosed to the public.
Elizabeth Taylor with Richard Burton and children Michael Wilding, Christopher Wilding, Elisabeth Todd, and Maria Burton(R)
Image source: Google
She was three when the iconic Hollywood couple welcomed them to their family.
Burdened with a genetically deformed hip, Maria had gone through nearly two dozen corrective surgeries for her to walk properly. It was one of her greatest personal struggles as a kid.
The Burtons were infamous for their theatrical spats in public and private. Taylor’s struggle with addiction and Burton’s infidelity would become a constant source of friction between Maria’s parents.
“Our fights are delightful screaming matches, and Richard is rather like a small atom bomb going off,” Taylor once described their arguments in an interview.
The two eventually decided to part ways in 1974, remarried in 1975, and divorced for good a mere one year later. Maria and her siblings were left with a broken family.
Career Choice
Maria dressed fashionably and attended events with her ex-husband Steve Carson
Image source: Google
Perhaps inspired by her adoptive mother, Maria Burton dabbled in modeling and fashion designing in her teens through her twenties. Later, she founded a talent agency alongside her then-husband, Steve Carson.
Like Taylor, Maria is a passionate advocate of humanitarian causes and an ambassador of the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation. She also reportedly received a substantial inheritance of the late actress’s fortune, estimated to be close to $1 billion in her death.
Family and Relationships
Unlike her Hollywood-legend parents, Maria Burton led a relatively quiet life, away from the glamor and glitz of the limelight. Details of her relationships are sparse, but I did manage to snag a few interesting bits.
Maria and her ex-husband Steve Carson’s adopted daughter is Elizabeth
Image source: Getty Images
Maria was reportedly married twice. She first married Richard Carson in 1980, and later adopted their daughter, Elizabeth. Their marriage started turning sour after two decades together before splitting in 2000.
By 2001, Maria would remarry to Thomas McKeown and have her son, Richard. Unfortunately, things went south quickly, and McKeown and Maria divorced under allegations of domestic violence.
“There has been violence against Maria, and that’s why the courts have given her custody of her son,” one of Maria’s friends reported per Wales Online.
L- R: Michael Wilding, Jr., Christopher Edward Wilding, Maria Burton Carson, Liza Todd with Elizabeth Taylor on Taylor’s 75th birthday party
Image source: Google
Final Thoughts
Being the child of not only one but two iconic Hollywood faces can be both a blessing and a burden. Despite that, Maria led a fairly quiet private life with a few hiccups, wearing a heart committed to helping those in need. Her children are certainly Elizabeth Taylor’s finest legacy!
Featured image source: Google
