Actress Elizabeth Taylor has died at the age of 79.

The Hollywood star, who had seven husbands, was married to Jewish actor Eddie Fisher for five years and previously to Mike Todd, a theatre producer whose original name was Avrom Goldbogen and whose grandfather was a rabbi.

Born in Hampstead to Christian parents, Dame Elizabeth converted on marrying Fisher in March 1959 and took the Hebrew name Elisheba Rachel.

She later said that her conversion had nothing to do with her Jewish husbands. “It was something I had wanted to do for a long time," she said.

At another time she spoke of feeling a connection with Jews. She said: “I felt terribly sorry for the suffering of the Jews during the war. I was attracted to their heritage. I guess I identified with them as underdogs.”