Elizabeth Taylor dies at 79

Legendary Hollywood actress and violet-eyed beauty Elizabeth Taylor, who captured hearts in “National Velvet” to launch a film career that spanned five decades, has died aged 79.

Taylor had been in hospital in Los Angeles for six weeks with congestive heart failure, a condition with which she had struggled for some years, and had recently suffered complications, a family statement said.

“Legendary actress, businesswoman, and fearless activist Elizabeth Taylor died peacefully today in Cedars-Sinai Hospital in Los Angeles,” said the statement by her publicist, quoting her son.

Taylor first gained stardom as a child and appeared in more than 50 films. She won Oscars for her performances in “Butterfield 8” and “Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?”.

“She was surrounded by her children – Michael Wilding, Christopher Wilding, Liza Todd, and Maria Burton,” it added, noting that she was also survived by 10 grandchildren and four great-grandchildren.

Wilding added: “My Mother was an extraordinary woman who lived life to the fullest, with great passion, humor, and love.

“Though her loss is devastating to those of us who held her so close and so dear, we will always be inspired by her enduring contribution to our world,” he added, according to the statement.

“Her remarkable body of work in film, her ongoing success as a businesswoman, and her brave and relentless advocacy in the fight against HIV/AIDS, all make us all incredibly proud of what she accomplished.

“We know, quite simply, that the world is a better place for Mom having lived in it. Her legacy will never fade, her spirit will always be with us, and her love will live forever in our hearts,” he added.