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Letters Spill Details of Liz Taylor's First Love

17-year-old was engaged to William Pawley

By Kate Seamons,  Newser Staff

Posted Mar 28, 2011 7:57 PM CDT

(Newser) – Elizabeth Taylor is famed for becoming a bride eight times over, but more than 60 love letters reveal a romance that predated all of those: Unpublished letters written by a 17-year-old Taylor to her first fiance will be auctioned in May. The young starlet wrote to William Pawley on pale pink stationery in 1949, telling him, "I've never known this kind of love before—it's so perfect and complete—and mature." The letters bare the thoughts of a young woman worried about her weight (I'm just stuffing myself on a box of candy—honestly I've got to stop eating so much") and her high school exams.

But mostly, she fawns over Pawley, the 22-year-old son of a former ambassador to Brazil. In May of that year, she tells him she'd give up her career for him, writing "I'll never love anyone else—period." By September, however, Taylor was writing about returning her engagement ring at Pawley's request, reports the AP. "I know with all my heart and soul that this is not the end for us—it couldn't be—we love each other too much." But as we all know, it was. Less than eight months later, she married hotel heir Conrad Nicholson "Nicky" Hilton. (Click to read the secrets contained in another celeb's recently revealed love letters.)

This photo released by RR Auction of Amherst, N.H., shows the second page of a letter written on May 31, 1949, by the late actress Elizabeth Taylor.
This photo released by RR Auction of Amherst, N.H., shows the second page of a letter written on May 31, 1949, by the late actress Elizabeth Taylor.   (AP Photo/RR Auction)
This photo released by RR Auction of Amherst, N.H., shows the first page of a letter written on May 31, 1949, by the late actress Elizabeth Taylor, written to her first fiance, William Pawley.
This photo released by RR Auction of Amherst, N.H., shows the first page of a letter written on May 31, 1949, by the late actress Elizabeth Taylor, written to her first fiance, William Pawley.   (AP Photo/RR Auction)
This photo released by RR Auction of Amherst, N.H., shows a page of a letter written in 1949, by the late actress Elizabeth Taylor to her first fiance, William Pawley.
This photo released by RR Auction of Amherst, N.H., shows a page of a letter written in 1949, by the late actress Elizabeth Taylor to her first fiance, William Pawley.   (AP Photo/RR Auction)
In this June 7, 1949 file photo, 17-year-old actress Elizabeth Taylor, right,  poses with fiance William D. Pawley Jr.  at his father's home in Miami Beach, Fla.
In this June 7, 1949 file photo, 17-year-old actress Elizabeth Taylor, right, poses with fiance William D. Pawley Jr. at his father's home in Miami Beach, Fla.   (AP Photo, file)
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COMMENTS
Showing 2 of 2 comments
finkster
Mar 28, 2011 9:17 PM CDT
Upon reading what was in these letters and then what really happened makes me come to the conclusion that she was a liar. But then again I wouldn't want my private love letters revealed as well.
cornelison
Mar 28, 2011 8:27 PM CDT
There was a rumor that Elizabeth had an affair with Frank Sinatra, became pregnant & he broke off their relationship. This was supposed to have happened in the 1950's. What makes this story credible is the fact that they've never been together in any venue since then. Also, Sinatra had a reputation of romancing women and suddenly dumping them. He supposedly was engaged to Lauren Bacall. Bacall went out and purchased expensive sheets with the "F S" monogram on them. When that happened he dumped her. Bacall was dumbfounded.
 

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