Shining Through Scandal: The Incredible Life Of Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor Marries A Hilton At Age 18

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Of those two options, Taylor chose marriage. At the age of 18, Taylor married hotel heir Conrad “Nicky” Hilton, Jr. in May 1950. Because MGM funded and organized all the wedding preparations, it became a big media event as 3,000 fans lined the streets outside the Church of the Good Shepherd in Beverly Hills. Taylor’s first marriage would only last nine months. Weeks into the marriage, Taylor realized she had made a mistake after discovering that not only did she and Hilton have little in common, but he was also an abusive alcoholic. Taylor was granted a divorce the following January in 1951. She wasn’t hurt by the loss of her first husband, but the loss of another would tear her apart years later.