Elizabeth Taylor’s final arrangements included a private funeral service the day immediately following her death. She is entombed in a crypt inside the Great Mausoleum at Forest Lawn Memorial Park in Glendale, CA.
Forest Lawn’s Great Mausoleum features exact reproductions of some of the best works of Michelangelo and has been called the New World’s Westminster Abbey. Many legendary entertainers are buried at Forest Lawn, including Taylor’s close friend, Michael Jackson.
Elizabeth Taylor’s Inspiring Legacy of Giving
Beloved for her work onscreen since she was a child, the late Elizabeth Taylor became even more popular later in life for her work as a tireless advocate for Aids research. In 1985, she became one of the founding members of amfAR, The Foundation for Aids Research, at a time when many lacked the courage to publicly support people suffering from Aids. In 1991, she established The Elizabeth Taylor Aids Foundation, also called ETAF. Both amfAR and ETAF are 501c3 non-profit organizations. During her lifetime, she was extraordinarily generous to these and other charities.
When Ms. Taylor died on March 23, 2011, she left behind an estate estimated to be worth more than half a billion dollars, and possibly in excess of a billion dollars. A shrewd businesswoman as well as a celebrity icon, many of her business ventures, including her enduring line of fragrances, are expected to continue to earn millions of dollars in the future.
While Elizabeth Taylor reportedly made bequests to her four children as part of her estate plan, the bulk of her estate is expected to pass to Aids charities. Just as she was a role model for compassion and charitable giving during her lifetime, Elizabeth Taylor’s estate plan is an inspiring example of legacy planning. While charitable giving takes a variety of forms, Taylor’s was passionate and focused. Through her advocacy and her donations, she improved an inestimable number of lives and her legacy is only expected to increase. To learn how you can create your own legacy plan to support your favorite charities, visit our Legacy Planning page.
Elizabeth Taylor’s Classic Last Wishes
People who knew Elizabeth Taylor say she had a bawdy sense of humor. It has been said she enjoyed a good joke. She showed her interest in making others smile even when writing her memorial preferences.
Her funeral was held on March 24, 2011. Elizabeth Taylor was late for her own funeral. She reportedly left instructions that her hearse was to arrive at least 15 minutes later than the time her funeral was scheduled to begin, proving that she had a sense of humor even when faced with her own mortality.
There is no doubt Elizabeth Taylor will go down in history as one of the most extraordinary leading ladies of all time. But we think her classic last wishes also show she was one of a kind.
One of the most current books about Elizabeth Taylor’s glamorous life, including her work as a champion for Aids research, is Liz: An Intimate Biography of Elizabeth Taylor. It covers both her successful career and her tumultuous personal relationships.
To read about other celebrity estates, including will and trust disputes involving celebrities, visit our Celebrity Estates page.
. It covers both her successful career and her tumultuous personal relationships.
To read about other celebrity estates, including will and trust disputes involving celebrities, visit our