Today’s UK Twitter Trends (March 23): Elizabeth Taylor

Elizabeth Taylor in Butterfield 8 (1960).

Several topics related to the actress Elizabeth Taylor were trending today in the UK, as they were in the U.S.

Taylor died in Los Angeles this morning of congestive heart failure.

Among the trending terms related to the 79-year-old movie star were RIP Elizabeth Taylor, Richard Burton, and Cleopatra.

Taylor was born in London in 1932 to American parents, and spent her early childhood in England, according to her New York Times obituary. “It was there, at 3, that she learned to ride horseback, a skill that was to help her win her first major role,” the paper writes, referring to the part she played in the classic National Velvet.  Her parents took the family back to the U.S., moving to southern California shortly before World War II.

When Hollywood was looking for a young girl who could both ride horses and speak with an English accent, Taylor was a logical choice, though The Times reports that at first she didn’t get the part, because the producers thought she wasn’t tall enough.

Two of Taylor’s seven husbands were British: the actor Michael Wilding and Richard Burton — she married Burton twice.

In 1999, Taylor was appointed Dame Commander of the Order of the British Empire.

Today, celebrities paid their respects to Taylor on Twitter. Taylor herself had a Twitter account, @DameElizabeth – and her last tweet appeared on February 9:

DameElizabeth: My interview in Bazaar with Kim Kardashian came out!!! http://j.mp/eqQsGa

themichaelcaine:‎ So sad to hear about my beautiful friend Elizabeth Taylor she was a great human being

stephenfry: RIP Dame Elizabeth Taylor, surely the last of a breed…

ElizabethHurley:‎ Elizabeth Taylor was the most beautiful & glamorous movie star ever and her crusade against Aids/HIV was truly inspirational. RIP.

joancollinsobe:‎ So sad at ETs passing the last gr8 star. Am on Piers Morgan tonight 2 pay homage RIP ET

GeorgeMichael: Hi everyone….such a sad day, Elizabeth Taylor was the last of the Hollywood greats, and a fantastically charming woman.

piersmorgan: One of the great movie stars of all time, on and off screen.

piersmorgan: Advice we should all follow: “I’ve always admitted that I’m ruled by my passions.” Elizabeth Taylor

BoyGeorge: R.I.P the amazing Liz Taylor, goddess, actress, aids activist and one of the worlds true beauties!

victoriabeckham:‎ The world has lost a truly iconic beauty, inside and out. Elizabeth Taylor will be deeply missed. X vb