She famously married eight times.
Twice to Richard Burton, often described as the love of her life. But he was not the only man with a hold on Elizabeth Taylor’s heart.
The sister of Ms Taylor’s last husband, construction worker Larry Fortensky, insisted the Oscar winning actress loved him ‘right to the end’.
Linda Untiet, who got to know Taylor during her five-year marriage to Mr Fortensky, said, ‘Elizabeth wrote Larry a love letter at the end of last year.
‘It said how much she still loved him. It was almost a “goodbye” letter.’
Mr Fortensky met Ms Taylor, who died last week aged 79, when they were both in rehab for drugs and alcohol addiction at California’s Betty Ford Clinic.
They married in 1991, when he was 39 and she was 59.
Ms Untiet spoke to her brother last Wednesday, shortly after he learned of Ms Taylor’s death.
She said, ‘He was very cut up. Liz and Larry always stayed in touch. ‘They had huge affection for each other. Larry spoke to her just before she went into hospital for the last time.’
Housewife Ms Untiet, 53, said Ms Taylor continued to support Mr Fortensky financially to the tune of $5,000 a month.
I think she appreciated his loyalty in never speaking out about her. They were friends to the end and Liz loved him right to the end. She loved men and Larry was her last love.
‘It ended because he didn’t want to be Mr Elizabeth Taylor any more.’
Mr Fortensky now travels America in a trailer. His sister said, ‘He doesn’t need to work thanks to Elizabeth. She valued her true friends and Larry was certainly that.’
by John Jackson
