Exclusive: George Hamilton Shares the Surprising Gift Elizabeth Taylor Gave Him After Their Split.Linh

The pair dated for a year in the mid-1980s

She was an incomparable movie icon, a beautiful, talented actress who embodied the glamour of Hollywood’s golden age.

Married eight times to seven husbands – twice to fellow film legend Richard Burton – including hotel heir Conrad Hilton and actor Eddie Fisher, Elizabeth Taylor was renowned for her many love matches.

One such was a relationship with the actor George Hamilton, who spoke to HELLO! about his enduring friendship with the great actress.

The 85-year-old star, who dated Elizabeth for a year in the mid-1980s and remained friends with her until her death in 2011 aged 79, features in a new three-part series on the BBC iPlayer entitled Elizabeth Taylor: Rebel Superstar that documents her incredible life.

Sharing a story about their break-up, George, who starred with Elizabeth in the 1987 film Poker Alice, tells us: “We did end it without any acrimony.

“Although I will never forget that she sent me something from Cartier… a solid gold ace of hearts, because our movie together was about gambling. She’d engraved on it: ‘Dearest George, I love you even though you are an a*****e’.

“She did that because I would push her about things, like: ‘Come on, we’ve got to do this, we’ve got do that.’ She said: ‘Don’t be an a*****e about it. Let me do it in my own way.’

“So, when we broke up, she said that to me and it was an invitation to be a friend always, and I was.”

George and Elizabeth’s sweet first meeting

George also recalls how he and Elizabeth were both teenagers under contract at Hollywood’s MGM studios when they first met.

“The first time I saw her, I was sitting in the commissary in MGM having lunch. I had just gone on the contract, and that day I’d met Cary Grant, Fred Astaire, Robert Mitchell and Elizabeth Taylor.

“Elizabeth said to me: ‘You’re kind of cute. Why don’t you come and speak to me when you’re older?’ I took her up on that.

“When I saw her again, I said: ‘Miss Taylor, do you remember me?’ She said: ‘Oh yes, I remember you.’ I said: ‘I’m older and I’m ready’, and she laughed. She went: ‘Sit down, big boy,’ and we had the most amazing chat.

“Elizabeth had this energy that when she walked in a room, everyone looked at her. They left their boyfriends, their girlfriends and they listened to her.

“Initially I thought: ‘This is because she’s Elizabeth Taylor,’ but no, it’s because Elizabeth Taylor was literally a unique energy. Her smile could make a man go crazy.

“She was an extraordinary beacon in my life and I often think of her.”