Few Hollywood romances burned as brightly—or as publicly—as the one between Richard Burton and Elizabeth Taylor. Their love story, set against a backdrop of towering talent and personal turmoil, turned both actors into tabloid fixtures and defined an era. This article unpacks Burton’s cause of death, his age gap with Taylor, his biological children, the mystery of her missing his funeral, and the alcoholism that shadowed his life.

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Born: 10 November 1925, Pontrhydyfen, Wales ·
Died: 5 August 1984, Céligny, Switzerland ·
Spouse: Elizabeth Taylor (married 1964–1974, 1975–1976) ·
Biological children: 2 (Kate Burton, Jessica Burton) ·
Oscar nominations: 7 (none won) ·
Notable films: Who’s Afraid of Virginia Woolf?, The Taming of the Shrew, Cleopatra

Quick snapshot

1Confirmed facts
2What’s unclear
  • Exact daily alcohol consumption in later years
  • Whether Elizabeth Taylor’s funeral absence was due to unresolved feelings or personal reasons
  • Detailed early childhood beyond general accounts
3Timeline signal
4What’s next
  • Burton’s legacy continues through his films and his daughter Kate’s acting career
  • Biographers still explore the Taylor-Burton relationship and its cultural impact
  • His diaries and letters provide ongoing material for researchers

Eleven key facts, one pattern: Burton’s life was a collision of professional triumph and personal chaos, with every statistic underscoring a dual narrative of brilliance and self-destruction.

Label Value
Full name Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.
Stage name Richard Burton
Birth date 10 November 1925
Birthplace Pontrhydyfen, Glamorgan, Wales
Death date 5 August 1984
Deathplace Céligny, Switzerland
Cause of death Intracerebral hemorrhage
Spouses Sybil Williams (1949–1963), Elizabeth Taylor (1964–1974, 1975–1976), Suzy Hunt (1976–1982), Sally Hay (1983–1984)
Biological children Kate Burton (b. 1957), Jessica Burton (b. 1964)
Adopted children Maria Burton (with Elizabeth Taylor)
Oscar nominations 7 (0 wins)

What caused Richard Burton’s death?

Official cause of death

  • Richard Burton died on 5 August 1984 at age 58 from an intracerebral hemorrhage, also described as a cerebral haemorrhage (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
  • The haemorrhage occurred at his home in Céligny, Switzerland (IMDb).

Role of alcoholism and related diseases

  • Burton had been diagnosed with cirrhosis of the liver and kidney disease in April 1981, conditions directly linked to his long-term alcoholism (Wikipedia).
  • Biographical accounts confirm he was a heavy drinker for most of his adult life, and that heavy drinking contributed to his declining health (Wales Online).
  • According to Wikipedia, during the filming of The Klansman in 1974 Burton nearly drank himself to death and later spent six weeks in a clinic after consuming three bottles of vodka a day (Wikipedia).
Bottom line: Richard Burton’s death was the direct result of a brain hemorrhage, but the underlying cause was decades of alcoholism that had already destroyed his liver and kidneys.

How much older was Richard Burton than Elizabeth Taylor?

Age difference at marriage

  • Richard Burton was born 10 November 1925; Elizabeth Taylor was born 27 February 1932 (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
  • The exact age difference is 6 years, 3 months, and 17 days.
  • When they met on the set of Cleopatra in 1961, Burton was 33 and Taylor was 27 (Biography.com).

How their age gap affected their relationship

  • The gap was modest, but Burton’s earlier marriage and his established career gave him a different life stage from Taylor, who had already been married twice.
  • Their age difference was rarely a point of contention; far more divisive were his drinking and her own struggles with addiction (Biography.com).
The trade-off

While six years seems small, Burton was the older, more established actor when they met, which gave him a paternal role that later clashed with Taylor’s fiercely independent personality.

Did Richard Burton have any biological children?

Daughters: Kate and Jessica Burton

  • Burton had two biological daughters: Kate Burton, born 10 September 1957, and Jessica Burton, born 1964 (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
  • Kate Burton is an actress known for roles in Grey’s Anatomy and Broadway; Jessica Burton leads a more private life.
  • Both daughters were from Burton’s first marriage to Sybil Williams.

Other children through adoption

  • Burton and Elizabeth Taylor adopted a daughter, Maria Burton, in 1964 (Encyclopaedia Britannica).
  • Maria is the only child Burton had with Taylor.
Why this matters

Burton’s biological legacy continues through Kate, who carries forward his acting tradition, while Jessica and Maria have chosen paths away from the spotlight—a quiet counterpoint to their father’s fame.

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

Taylor’s absence at the 1984 funeral

  • Elizabeth Taylor did not attend Richard Burton’s funeral in Céligny, Switzerland (Biography.com).
  • Her decision surprised many, given their intense relationship and her public statements that she was still in love with him the day he died (Biography.com).

Her later explanation

  • Taylor later explained that she wanted to remember him as he was in life, not grieve publicly at a funeral (Biography.com).
  • She visited his grave privately on a later occasion, a gesture that aligned with her private grief.
The paradox

The woman who shared the most public romance of her generation chose the most private of farewells—a decision that still fascinates biographers and fans alike.

Was Richard Burton a heavy drinker?

Burton’s alcoholism

  • Burton was a heavy drinker for much of his adult life, a fact he acknowledged publicly and in private diaries (Wales Online).
  • According to Wikipedia, he reportedly began drinking regularly at age 11 and used Antabuse in attempts to stop (Wikipedia).
  • IMDb notes that he was in terrible health during the filming of 1984 due to years of alcoholism and heavy smoking (IMDb).

Impact on his career and relationships

  • His drinking strained his marriages, especially his relationship with Taylor, who also struggled with alcohol (Biography.com).
  • Despite his alcoholism, Burton continued to work and deliver acclaimed performances, though his health steadily declined.
  • In his diaries, he described alcohol as his “only weakness,” a candid admission that has been widely cited by biographers.
Bottom line: Richard Burton’s drinking was not a secret—it was a central, destructive force in his life. For his fans, the tragedy is that his talent was so immense that his addiction became almost an afterthought in his legend.

Richard Burton: Key timeline

Ten milestones, one trajectory: from a Welsh mining valley to Hollywood’s highest peaks, with a steep fall accelerated by alcohol.

  • 10 Nov 1925 – Richard Burton born in Pontrhydyfen, Wales (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
  • 1947 – Stage debut in London production of The Lady’s Not for Burning
  • 1949 – Marries Sybil Williams; film debut in The Last Days of Dolwyn
  • 1953 – Breakthrough film role in The Robe; first Oscar nomination (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
  • 1963 – Meets Elizabeth Taylor on set of Cleopatra; begins affair (Biography.com)
  • 15 Mar 1964 – Marries Elizabeth Taylor in Montreal (first marriage) (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
  • 1974 – Divorces Elizabeth Taylor; suffers severe alcohol-related health crisis during The Klansman (Wikipedia)
  • 1975 – Remarries Taylor; divorces again in 1976 (Biography.com)
  • 1983 – Marries Sally Hay, his final wife
  • 5 Aug 1984 – Dies of cerebral hemorrhage in Céligny, Switzerland (Encyclopaedia Britannica)

What we know for sure—and what remains unclear

Confirmed facts

  • Cause of death: intracerebral hemorrhage, confirmed by autopsy (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
  • Alcoholism: widely documented in biographies and Burton’s own writings (Wales Online)
  • Age difference with Taylor: exactly 6 years, 3 months, 17 days
  • Biological children: two daughters, Kate and Jessica (Encyclopaedia Britannica)
  • Elizabeth Taylor did not attend his funeral (Biography.com)

What’s unclear

  • Exact extent of Burton’s daily alcohol consumption in his final years
  • Whether Taylor’s absence from the funeral was due to unresolved feelings or other personal reasons
  • Detailed accounts of his early childhood beyond general biographical summaries

Quotes that capture the man and the myth

“I was still madly in love with him the day he died.”

— Elizabeth Taylor, as reported by Biography.com

“Alcohol is my only weakness.”

— Richard Burton, from his diaries, cited in Wales Online

The pattern is clear: Burton was a man of extremes—extreme talent, extreme love, extreme addiction. For anyone looking at his life, the lesson is uncomfortable: brilliance does not inoculate against self-destruction. For today’s admirers of classic cinema, the trade-off is that his art remains, while the man who made it paid a brutal price.

Additional sources

lisawallerrogers.com

For a deeper look at Richard Burton’s death and children, including details about his inheritance, see Richard Burtons death and children.

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Frequently asked questions

How many times was Richard Burton married?

Four times: to Sybil Williams (1949–1963), Elizabeth Taylor (1964–1974 and again 1975–1976), Suzy Hunt (1976–1982), and Sally Hay (1983–1984).

What was Richard Burton’s real name?

His birth name was Richard Walter Jenkins Jr.

Did Richard Burton win an Oscar?

No. Despite seven nominations, he never won a competitive Oscar.

Where is Richard Burton buried?

He is buried in Céligny, Switzerland, near his home.

What was Richard Burton’s net worth at his death?

Estimates range around $5–10 million, much of it earned from film salaries and his partnership with Taylor.

Did Richard Burton serve in the military?

He served briefly in the Royal Air Force during World War II but was discharged due to medical issues.

How tall was Richard Burton?

He was 5 feet 10 inches (178 cm) tall.

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