Elizabeth Taylor's Son Recalls 'Unpleasant Taunts' About His Mother's Sex Life from Boarding School Classmates

Mar. 15, 2025

Elizabeth Taylor with Richard Burton and children Michael Wilding, Christopher Wilding, Elisabeth Todd and Maria Burton in 1967.Photo:Bob PENN/Gamma-Rapho/GettyElizabeth Taylor’s son had a tough time growing up with his mother’s name in the headlines.Christopher Wilding— the star’s son with her second husband, Michael Wilding — appears in the new three-part BBC documentary seriesElizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar. In episode 2, which premiered on Oct. 4, he discusses what it was like when his mother was receiving intense media attention for her passionate romance withRichard Burton.Taylor and Welsh actor fell for each other while filming their roles asCleopatra and Antonyin the 1963 filmCleopatra, despite being married to others at the time. Burton ended his marriage to first wife Sybil Williams in 1963, while Taylor would split fromEddie Fisher, who had left his first wife,Debbie Reynolds, for Taylor, in March 1964.“I understood the attention they got because they were kind of this weird phenomenon. After a certain point, there was no way to avoid the media interest. It was just too juicy a story. It was a drag. It was a huge drag,” Wilding recalls.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Christopher Wilding (center) and Loris Loddi watch as Elizabeth Taylor touches up her makeup on the set of ‘Cleopatra’ in 1962.Keystone Features/GettyHe then goes on to discuss his time at boarding school and how he’d read the magazines to keep up with what what going on with his mom, the same way her fans did.“All the other kids know about these stories. I’d hear unpleasant taunts [like,] ‘Well your mother just likes to sleep with a lot of guys,’ whatever. It was just awkward,” Wilding admits.“When I was older, she expressed regret,” he adds. “She felt like she hadn’t been a great mom. But I felt like she was a good mother. It wasn’t easy to do.”Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton with her sons, Michael and Christopher Wilding, and daughter Elisabeth Todd in 1964.REPORTERS ASSOCIES/Gamma-Rapho/GettyTaylor’s granddaughterNaomi Wildingalso appears in the docuseries, and she says she believes the attention was “addictive” for her grandmother.“From the youngest age, all of her validation came about from that visibility. She created celebrity the way that we see it now. She was always giving material. There was so much to be seen. She wasn’t hiding,” she says.Elizabeth Taylor arrives with her children (from left) Michael Wilding Jr., Christopher Wilding, Maria Burton and Liza Todd Burton for Taylor’s 75th birthday party on Feb. 27, 2007.Ethan Miller/GettyKim Kardashian— who, at age 29, conducted Taylor’s final interview before her death in 2011 and serves as executive producer of the documentary series — says she can relate to the screen legend’s struggles as a superstar and a mother.“You don’t plan this life for your kids. You’re an adult, you can handle it, but you don’t know which one of your babies can really handle it, so I think it’s really hard on a family,” she explains in the episode. “I think when people open themselves up to that scrutiny, it’s really hard just on your soul.“Chris Wilding offers the final word on the subject, noting, “I get it, but having seen it from both sides, that’s a deal with the devil that’s really not worth it, in my opinion.“Episode 3 ofElizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstarairs Oct. 11 on the BBC.

Elizabeth Taylor with Richard Burton and children Michael Wilding, Christopher Wilding, Elisabeth Todd and Maria Burton in 1967.Photo:Bob PENN/Gamma-Rapho/Getty

Bob PENN/Gamma-Rapho/Getty

Elizabeth Taylor’s son had a tough time growing up with his mother’s name in the headlines.Christopher Wilding— the star’s son with her second husband, Michael Wilding — appears in the new three-part BBC documentary seriesElizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar. In episode 2, which premiered on Oct. 4, he discusses what it was like when his mother was receiving intense media attention for her passionate romance withRichard Burton.Taylor and Welsh actor fell for each other while filming their roles asCleopatra and Antonyin the 1963 filmCleopatra, despite being married to others at the time. Burton ended his marriage to first wife Sybil Williams in 1963, while Taylor would split fromEddie Fisher, who had left his first wife,Debbie Reynolds, for Taylor, in March 1964.“I understood the attention they got because they were kind of this weird phenomenon. After a certain point, there was no way to avoid the media interest. It was just too juicy a story. It was a drag. It was a huge drag,” Wilding recalls.Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.Christopher Wilding (center) and Loris Loddi watch as Elizabeth Taylor touches up her makeup on the set of ‘Cleopatra’ in 1962.Keystone Features/GettyHe then goes on to discuss his time at boarding school and how he’d read the magazines to keep up with what what going on with his mom, the same way her fans did.“All the other kids know about these stories. I’d hear unpleasant taunts [like,] ‘Well your mother just likes to sleep with a lot of guys,’ whatever. It was just awkward,” Wilding admits.“When I was older, she expressed regret,” he adds. “She felt like she hadn’t been a great mom. But I felt like she was a good mother. It wasn’t easy to do.”Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton with her sons, Michael and Christopher Wilding, and daughter Elisabeth Todd in 1964.REPORTERS ASSOCIES/Gamma-Rapho/GettyTaylor’s granddaughterNaomi Wildingalso appears in the docuseries, and she says she believes the attention was “addictive” for her grandmother.“From the youngest age, all of her validation came about from that visibility. She created celebrity the way that we see it now. She was always giving material. There was so much to be seen. She wasn’t hiding,” she says.Elizabeth Taylor arrives with her children (from left) Michael Wilding Jr., Christopher Wilding, Maria Burton and Liza Todd Burton for Taylor’s 75th birthday party on Feb. 27, 2007.Ethan Miller/GettyKim Kardashian— who, at age 29, conducted Taylor’s final interview before her death in 2011 and serves as executive producer of the documentary series — says she can relate to the screen legend’s struggles as a superstar and a mother.“You don’t plan this life for your kids. You’re an adult, you can handle it, but you don’t know which one of your babies can really handle it, so I think it’s really hard on a family,” she explains in the episode. “I think when people open themselves up to that scrutiny, it’s really hard just on your soul.“Chris Wilding offers the final word on the subject, noting, “I get it, but having seen it from both sides, that’s a deal with the devil that’s really not worth it, in my opinion.“Episode 3 ofElizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstarairs Oct. 11 on the BBC.

Elizabeth Taylor’s son had a tough time growing up with his mother’s name in the headlines.

Christopher Wilding— the star’s son with her second husband, Michael Wilding — appears in the new three-part BBC documentary seriesElizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar. In episode 2, which premiered on Oct. 4, he discusses what it was like when his mother was receiving intense media attention for her passionate romance withRichard Burton.

Taylor and Welsh actor fell for each other while filming their roles asCleopatra and Antonyin the 1963 filmCleopatra, despite being married to others at the time. Burton ended his marriage to first wife Sybil Williams in 1963, while Taylor would split fromEddie Fisher, who had left his first wife,Debbie Reynolds, for Taylor, in March 1964.

“I understood the attention they got because they were kind of this weird phenomenon. After a certain point, there was no way to avoid the media interest. It was just too juicy a story. It was a drag. It was a huge drag,” Wilding recalls.

Never miss a story — sign up forPEOPLE’s free daily newsletterto stay up-to-date on the best of what PEOPLE has to offer​​, from celebrity news to compelling human interest stories.

Christopher Wilding (center) and Loris Loddi watch as Elizabeth Taylor touches up her makeup on the set of ‘Cleopatra’ in 1962.Keystone Features/Getty

Keystone Features/Getty

He then goes on to discuss his time at boarding school and how he’d read the magazines to keep up with what what going on with his mom, the same way her fans did.

“All the other kids know about these stories. I’d hear unpleasant taunts [like,] ‘Well your mother just likes to sleep with a lot of guys,’ whatever. It was just awkward,” Wilding admits.

“When I was older, she expressed regret,” he adds. “She felt like she hadn’t been a great mom. But I felt like she was a good mother. It wasn’t easy to do.”

Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton with her sons, Michael and Christopher Wilding, and daughter Elisabeth Todd in 1964.REPORTERS ASSOCIES/Gamma-Rapho/Getty

REPORTERS ASSOCIES/Gamma-Rapho/Getty

Taylor’s granddaughterNaomi Wildingalso appears in the docuseries, and she says she believes the attention was “addictive” for her grandmother.

“From the youngest age, all of her validation came about from that visibility. She created celebrity the way that we see it now. She was always giving material. There was so much to be seen. She wasn’t hiding,” she says.

Elizabeth Taylor arrives with her children (from left) Michael Wilding Jr., Christopher Wilding, Maria Burton and Liza Todd Burton for Taylor’s 75th birthday party on Feb. 27, 2007.Ethan Miller/Getty

Ethan Miller/Getty

Kim Kardashian— who, at age 29, conducted Taylor’s final interview before her death in 2011 and serves as executive producer of the documentary series — says she can relate to the screen legend’s struggles as a superstar and a mother.

“You don’t plan this life for your kids. You’re an adult, you can handle it, but you don’t know which one of your babies can really handle it, so I think it’s really hard on a family,” she explains in the episode. “I think when people open themselves up to that scrutiny, it’s really hard just on your soul.”

Chris Wilding offers the final word on the subject, noting, “I get it, but having seen it from both sides, that’s a deal with the devil that’s really not worth it, in my opinion.”

Episode 3 ofElizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstarairs Oct. 11 on the BBC.

source: people.com