Elizabeth Taylor

In 1956, Liz with Christopher, her second son, who was barely a year old and shared a birthday with his mother, February 27.

Photos from Elizabeth Taylor A Life in Pictures by Yann-Brice Dherbia, published by Pavilion books

Elizabeth Taylor in 1959, aged 27.

Photos from Elizabeth Taylor A Life in Pictures by Yann-Brice Dherbia, published by Pavilion books

On the Mediterranean set of the 1968 movie Boom! With a script by Tennessee Williams and based on one of his plays, the film also starred Liz’s fifth husband, Richard Burton, and Noel Coward.

Photos from Elizabeth Taylor A Life in Pictures by Yann-Brice Dherbia, published by Pavilion books

In 1956 Liz poses in a bullfighter’s “suit of lights” that she bought in Spain.

Photos from Elizabeth Taylor A Life in Pictures by Yann-Brice Dherbia, published by Pavilion books

Liz poses for the cover of Life magazine in 1948 when she was just 16 years old. She had made her movie debut at the age of 10 in There’s One Born Every Minute, in 1942.

Photos from Elizabeth Taylor A Life in Pictures by Yann-Brice Dherbia, published by Pavilion books

Elizabeth Taylor with her son Michael Wilding Jnr.

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Elizabeth kneeling for a portrait in 1959.

Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images.

British-born Elizabeth looks every inch the sex siren of the 60s as she stands in a doorway holding a glass in a still from the film, BUtterfield 8 directed by Daniel Mann.

Photo by: MGM Studios/Getty Images

Elizabeth Taylor attends a social function in 1967 wearing an elaborate headdress of pearls and fake flowers, a jewelled dress and an emerald necklace.

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Richard Burton with his wife, Elizabeth Taylor in the television movie Divorce His, Divorce Hers.

Photo by: Keystone/Getty Images

This promotional portrait of Elizabeth wearing a wide-brimmed straw hat and holding large flowers was taken circa 1945.

Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Elizabeth Taylor in black at the airport in Los Angeles, California in November 1968.

Photo by: Frank Edwards/Fotos International/Getty Images

The classically elegant Elizabeth Taylor gives a sultry pose for the camera, circa 1970.

Photo by Michael Ochs Archives/Getty Images

Smiling happily for a promotional portrait in 1952, Elizabeth Taylor looks radiant wearing a sleeveless lace brocade dress.

Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Taylor wearing one of the sixty costumes specially designed by Irene Sharaff for her role as the Egyptian queen in the 20th Century Fox epic Cleopatra in 1961.

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Combing her hair in a bathing suit on the set of director Richard Thorpe’s film, The Girl Who Had Everything in 1953.

Photo by Hulton Archive/Getty Images

Elizabeth Taylor, British film actress strikes a reflective pose in 1954.

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Elizabeth Taylor as Catherine Holly in ‘Suddenly, Last Summer’, directed by Joseph L. Mankiewicz, 1959.

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1959: Elizabeth Taylor arriving with husband Eddie Fisher and family at London Airport, having flown from Costa Brava where she has been filming Suddenly, Last Summer.

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Taylor in another of the stunning costumes designed for her role as Cleopatra in 1961.

Photo by Central Press/Getty Images

Actress Elizabeth Taylor holding her unident award.

Photo by David Mcgough/DMI/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images

George Hamilton and Elizabeth Taylor.

Photo by Ron Galella, Ltd./WireImage/Getty Images

Elizabeth poses alongside singer Michael Jackson in a gold pants suit at the American Music Awards.

Photo by Life Pictures/DMI/Time Life Pictures/Getty Images

Sir Elton John poses with Elizabeth Taylor.

Photo by Kevin Mazur Archive 1/WireImage/Getty Images