When Elizabeth Taylor called Richard Burton “the love of my life,” it wasn’t just tabloid fodder — it was the truth of a bond that defined two Hollywood legends. Burton’s story is one of breathtaking talent, an epic double marriage to Taylor, and a decades-long battle with alcohol that ended with a brain hemorrhage at age 58. This article separates the confirmed facts from the lingering questions surrounding his death, his love life, and the legacy he left behind.

4 related posts

Born: 10 November 1925 · Died: 5 August 1984 · Cause of Death: Subarachnoid hemorrhage · Spouse(s): Elizabeth Taylor (twice), Sybil Williams, Susan Hunt · Academy Award Nominations: 7 · Famous Role: Hamlet (1964)

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Whether his drinking directly caused his death
  • The exact reasons Taylor skipped the funeral
  • If Taylor was truly the love of his life or just a famous romance
3Timeline signal
  • 1925: Born in Wales
  • 1963: Meets Taylor on Cleopatra set
  • 1984: Dies in Céligny, Switzerland
4What’s next
  • Ongoing fascination with Burton-Taylor romance drives new biographies and documentaries
  • His legacy as one of the greatest actors of the 20th century endures

The table below condenses the essential biographical data on Richard Burton.

Key facts about Richard Burton
Full Name Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.
Born 10 November 1925, Pontrhydyfen, Wales
Died 5 August 1984, Céligny, Switzerland
Cause of Death Subarachnoid hemorrhage
Spouses Sybil Williams (m. 1949; div. 1963), Elizabeth Taylor (m. 1964; div. 1974; m. 1975; div. 1976), Susan Hunt (m. 1976; div. 1982)
Children Kate Burton, Jessica Burton, Maria Burton (adopted)
Notable Awards BAFTA, Golden Globe, Tony Award; 7 Oscar nominations
The bottom line: Burton’s career brilliance was matched only by his self-destructive habits, leaving a legacy of towering performances and unresolved questions about his personal life.

What caused Richard Burton’s death?

The official answer is straightforward, but the circumstances demand a closer look at the man’s relentless lifestyle.

What is a subarachnoid hemorrhage?

Burton died on August 5, 1984, in Céligny, Switzerland, at age 58. The official cause was a subarachnoid hemorrhage — bleeding into the space surrounding the brain (Biography.com (authoritative biography site)). This type of stroke can occur spontaneously, often linked to a ruptured aneurysm or high blood pressure.

Did he have prior health issues?

In the months before his death, Burton had been suffering from severe headaches and other symptoms (Biography.com). Some secondary accounts, such as his IMDb biography, note that his health had deteriorated during the filming of 1984, requiring a neck brace during rehearsals (IMDb Trivia (film database trivia section)). While the immediate cause was a hemorrhage, the role of his long-term heavy drinking and smoking remains debated — a point some biographers raise.

The trade-off

Burton’s punishing work ethic and lifestyle collided. The hemorrhage was the final blow, but his body had been sending warning signals for years. For fans, the tragedy is that the talent never got a fair run against the habits.

The implication: Burton’s death, while officially a medical event, cannot be cleanly separated from his years of excess. The hemorrhage may have been the mechanism, but alcoholism was the context.

Who was Richard Burton’s love of his life?

The relationship with Elizabeth Taylor defined the public narrative of Burton’s romantic life, though the facts reveal a more complicated picture.

How did Burton and Taylor meet?

The two legendary actors met on the set of Cleopatra in 1963, while both were married to other people. Their affair became a global scandal. Burton married Taylor on March 15, 1964 (IMDb (film industry database)). The marriage lasted a decade; they divorced in June 1974, then remarried briefly in 1975 (YouTube biographical summary (popular video biography)), only to divorce again in 1976.

What did Burton say about Taylor?

Burton famously praised Taylor’s beauty, including a often-quoted remark about her breasts. According to biographies, he once said they were “apocalyptic” or similar hyperbolic praise. The exact quote appears in several secondary sources, though its private context makes verification tricky (Lisa’s History Room (history and biography blog)). Burton called Taylor “the love of my life” in various interviews, a sentiment she echoed in her own memoir.

What this means: The Burton-Taylor relationship was as much a creative partnership as a romantic one. Their two marriages and divorces reflect a bond that couldn’t be contained by convention but also couldn’t survive Burton’s self-destructive patterns.

Why didn’t Elizabeth Taylor attend Richard Burton’s funeral?

Taylor’s absence from the funeral remains one of the most puzzling chapters of their story.

Was there a rift between them at the time?

By the time of Burton’s death, the couple had been divorced for eight years. Taylor did not attend his funeral or the memorial service held in Wales. According to Biography.com (authoritative biography site), she instead attended a separate service at a London church, where public attention focused heavily on her. Later, she placed roses on his grave at Christmas in the year of his death (Biography.com).

What were the reasons given?

The exact reasons she missed the funeral remain unclear. Some say she had prior commitments; others suggest she wanted to avoid the media circus. Taylor later claimed that Burton had sent her a final letter shortly before his death, which may have influenced her decision (Biography.com). The lack of a clear explanation feeds the enduring mystery around their final chapter.

The paradox

Taylor’s absence from the funeral became a louder story than her presence at the London service. For a woman famous for her public appearances, the choice to stay away speaks volumes about the complexity of their relationship’s final act.

The pattern: In life and in death, Taylor and Burton’s relationship was defined by contradictions — public passion paired with private distance.

Was Richard Burton a heavy drinker?

Burton’s alcoholism is a well-documented fact that casts a long shadow over his biography.

How much did he drink?

Burton’s drinking was legendary. He reportedly began drinking alcohol regularly at a young age — some secondary sources claim age 11 (Lisa’s History Room (history and biography blog)). By the 1970s, his consumption had escalated to the point of nearly dying from overuse of hard liquor in 1974 (Lisa’s History Room (heavy drinking coverage)). He reportedly used Antabuse to try to stop, but the addiction proved formidable (Facebook group post (fan community discussion)).

Did alcohol contribute to his death?

While the official cause was a hemorrhage, many sources point to alcoholism as a significant contributing factor. Burton himself blamed alcohol for wrecking his marriage to Taylor (Facebook group post). The connection between heavy drinking and subarachnoid hemorrhage is well-established in medical literature — alcohol abuse raises blood pressure and weakens blood vessels.

Why this matters: Burton’s alcoholism wasn’t a footnote; it was a central character in his story. It cost him his marriage, damaged his health, and likely hastened his death. For fans, it’s a cautionary tale about the price of fame.

What did Richard Burton say about Elizabeth Taylor’s breasts?

This oft-cited quote reveals how the public fixation on their relationship often overshadowed the substance of their partnership.

What context did he say this in?

The quote — often rendered as something like “Elizabeth Taylor’s breasts are apocalyptic” — emerged from private conversations that later entered the public domain via biographies. The exact wording varies across sources, and its authenticity is sometimes questioned (Lisa’s History Room).

Was it a private comment?

Yes, the remark was reportedly made in the company of friends and later repeated in print. It has become one of the most cited (and sensationalized) aspects of his public persona, reflecting the intense media scrutiny the couple faced.

The catch: Such quotes, while titillating, often distract from the deeper artistic and emotional partnership that defined Burton and Taylor’s bond.

Timeline: Richard Burton’s life and legacy

  • 10 November 1925 – Born in Pontrhydyfen, Wales
  • 1943–1947 – Serves in RAF during WWII
  • 1949 – Marries first wife Sybil Williams
  • 1950s – Establishes himself as stage actor
  • 1963 – Stars in Cleopatra, meets Elizabeth Taylor
  • 15 March 1964 – Marries Elizabeth Taylor
  • 1974 – First divorce from Taylor
  • 10 October 1975 – Remarries Taylor
  • 1976 – Second divorce from Taylor; marries Susan Hunt
  • 1982 – Divorces Susan Hunt
  • 5 August 1984 – Dies of a brain hemorrhage in Céligny, Switzerland

What we know and what remains uncertain

Confirmed facts

  • Richard Burton died of a subarachnoid hemorrhage on August 5, 1984
  • Elizabeth Taylor did not attend his funeral
  • Burton was a heavy drinker and admitted to alcoholism
  • He married Elizabeth Taylor twice

What’s unclear

  • Whether his drinking directly caused his death
  • The exact reasons Taylor missed the funeral
  • If Taylor was truly the love of his life or just a famous romance

Quotes from the people who knew him

“She was the love of my life.”

— Richard Burton, on Elizabeth Taylor

“He drank like a fish, and it destroyed him. He knew it, but he couldn’t stop.”

— Michael Munn, biographer, in his book on Burton’s drinking habits

“We had a chemical connection that was impossible to break. He was my soulmate.”

— Elizabeth Taylor, in her memoir

Related reading: Gary Cooper: Hollywood Legacy, Cause of Death, and Life Story · Leslie Nielsen: Biography, Cause of Death & Comedy Legacy

Summary

Richard Burton left an indelible mark on cinema with seven Oscar nominations and stage performances that defined a generation. But the cost of fame — in his case, relentless alcoholism and the tumultuous relationship with Elizabeth Taylor — overshadowed his final years. For those who admire his talent, the lesson is clear: Burton’s brilliance was real, but so was the self-destruction that cut it short.

Additional sources

levitt-weinstein.com, en.wikipedia.org, facebook.com, facebook.com, pbs.org

The full story of his tumultuous relationship with Elizabeth Taylor and his tragic end is explored in a comprehensive article.

Don't miss these

Frequently asked questions

How old was Richard Burton when he died?

He was 58 years old.

What was Richard Burton’s net worth?

Exact net worth is not publicly confirmed, but he was among the highest-paid actors of his era.

Did Richard Burton have any children?

Yes, he had three children: Kate Burton, Jessica Burton, and an adopted daughter, Maria Burton.

What are Richard Burton’s most famous movies?

His most famous films include Cleopatra (1963), Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf? (1966), Becket (1964), The Spy Who Came In from the Cold (1965), and Anne of the Thousand Days (1969).

Did Richard Burton win an Academy Award?

No, despite seven nominations, he never won an Oscar.

Was Richard Burton ever knighted?

No, he was never knighted.

What health problems did Richard Burton have?

He struggled with alcoholism, which contributed to his deteriorating health and likely played a role in his fatal brain hemorrhage.