Goodbye Dame Elizabeth

My mother says I didn't open my eyes for eight days after I was born,

 but when I did, the first thing I saw was an engagement ring. I was hooked.

Dame Elizabeth Taylor  1932 - 2011

Today we lost a truly great lady. Dame Elizabeth was not only an incredibly beautiful woman and a great actress, she was also a supporter and champion of many charitable causes. She was one of the first stars to become involved with finding a cure for AID's. Her AIDS organization AMFAR raised $83 million in the twelve years following its creation in 1985. She was not only a great supporter of AMFAR she was also a very generous contributor, auctioning off the diamond and emerald engagement bought for her by Richard Burton.

She was also a fighter in her personal life having suffered terrible back pain all her life after falling off her horse whilst making one of her most famous films "National Velvet". So though I am sad that she is no longer with us, I am pleased that she is no longer suffering.

Much will be written about Elizabeth over the next few days, so I am going to talk about what she meant to me personally. I was never lucky enough to meet her and only knew her from her films, interviews and books. I have to admit though that I am one of thousands of little girls who having watched her in "National Velvet" dreamed of having my own pony.

I have many cherished memories of wet Sunday afternoons sitting in front of the TV watching her in "Little Women" when she played Amy March. I think that she so right for that role.

Of course for me her most memorable role has to be Cleopatra, who else could have played that role so well or so beautiful? Who can ever forget her tumbling out of the carpet at Caesar's feet or her triumphant entrance into Rome ... wonderful. She famously quoted about playing that role:

"I don't remember much about Cleopatra (1963). There were a lot of other things going on."

The main thing going on was her passionate affair with Richard Burton which scandalised everyone at the time as they were both married. The swinging sixties were a few years ahead at that point.

Thank you Elizabeth Rosamond Taylor for all the wonderful films you have left as your legacy and for gracing this sad world with your beauty.

Dominique