Maria Burton Carson grew up in one of Hollywood’s most famous families, yet she chose a life very different from the world of flashing cameras and movie premieres. She is best known as the adopted daughter of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, two of the biggest movie stars of their generation. While her parents lived much of their lives in public, Maria has spent most of her adult years away from celebrity attention.
Quick Bio of Maria Burton Carson
| Detail | Information |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Maria Burton Carson |
| Known For | Adopted daughter of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton |
| Date of Birth | January 8, 1961 |
| Age | 65 years old as of 2026 |
| Birthplace | Germany |
| Parents | Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton |
| Siblings | Michael Wilding Jr., Christopher Wilding, and Liza Todd |
| First Husband | Steve Carson |
| Second Husband | Thomas McKeown |
| Children | Elizabeth “Eliza” Carson and Richard McKeown |
| Career Interests | Modeling, fashion design, and talent-related work |
| Net Worth | Not publicly verified |
People reported in its updated 2026 profile of Elizabeth Taylor’s children that Maria was born on January 8, 1961, and was later adopted into Taylor’s family.
Who Is Maria Burton Carson?
Maria Burton Carson is the youngest of Elizabeth Taylor’s four children.
She was not born into Hollywood. Instead, she was born in Germany and later became part of one of the most famous families in entertainment history.
Elizabeth Taylor was already an international movie star by the time Maria entered her life. Taylor had appeared in films such as National Velvet, A Place in the Sun, and Cleopatra and had become one of Hollywood’s best-known actresses.
Richard Burton was also a major actor. His relationship with Taylor became one of the most talked-about celebrity romances of the 20th century.
Growing up with parents that famous could easily have pushed Maria toward acting. However, she eventually chose a much quieter path.
People reported that Maria tried modeling when she was younger but has largely stayed out of public life as an adult.
Maria Burton Carson’s Early Life
Maria’s early childhood was unusual.
Elizabeth Taylor began the process of adopting Maria while Taylor was still married to singer Eddie Fisher. Taylor and Fisher later divorced, and Richard Burton became part of Taylor’s life.
After Taylor married Burton in 1964, Richard Burton also adopted Maria. She then became known as Maria Burton.
This meant Maria became part of a blended family that already included several children.
She grew up with Michael Wilding Jr., Christopher Wilding, and Liza Todd.
Even though the adults around her were constantly discussed in newspapers and entertainment magazines, Elizabeth Taylor reportedly tried to protect her children from the most difficult parts of celebrity life.
People has described Taylor as deeply devoted to her four children. Members of the family have also recalled that family remained extremely important to her throughout her life.
Maria Faced Health Problems as a Child
Maria reportedly experienced serious health difficulties when she was young.
ABC News reported that she was born with a problem affecting her hips and underwent close to two dozen operations during childhood.
For any child, repeated medical treatment can be difficult. In Maria’s case, it happened while she was also growing up inside a family receiving enormous public attention.
Elizabeth Taylor was known to be protective of her children. According to ABC News, biographer William J. Mann described Taylor as especially protective when one of her children was facing trouble.
Maria eventually moved beyond those childhood medical difficulties and began exploring her own interests.
Growing Up as Elizabeth Taylor’s Daughter
Elizabeth Taylor was not simply famous. At the height of her career, she was among the biggest movie stars in the world.
That made Maria’s childhood very different from an ordinary upbringing.
There were movie sets, international trips, photographers, famous family friends, and enormous public interest in Taylor and Richard Burton.
However, Taylor appears to have wanted her children to have something close to a normal family relationship.
People reported in 2026 that Taylor once described her children as her “best friends.” The actress also said that they made her prouder than anything else she had accomplished.
That is especially meaningful considering Taylor’s extraordinary career.
She won Academy Awards, became an international fashion icon, and later became one of the most visible celebrity activists in the fight against HIV/AIDS.
Yet family remained central to her private life.
Maria was part of that family until Taylor’s death in March 2011.
Who Was Maria Burton Carson’s Father?
Richard Burton became Maria’s adoptive father after marrying Elizabeth Taylor.
Burton was a celebrated Welsh actor known for his powerful voice and dramatic performances.
His relationship with Elizabeth Taylor became almost as famous as his acting career.
Taylor and Burton met while making Cleopatra. Their relationship attracted enormous attention, and they eventually married in 1964.
They divorced in 1974 before marrying each other again in 1975. Their second marriage ended the following year.
Despite the complicated relationship between her parents, Maria remained connected to the Burton name.
The adoption made Richard Burton an important part of Maria’s family story, rather than simply her mother’s husband.
Maria Burton Carson’s Siblings
Maria grew up with three siblings.
Michael Wilding Jr.
Michael Wilding Jr. is Elizabeth Taylor’s eldest child.
He was born in January 1953 during Taylor’s marriage to British actor Michael Wilding.
Michael Jr. later worked as an actor and appeared in television productions before moving toward sculpture.
People reported in 2026 that he lives in Santa Fe and works as a sculptor.
Christopher Wilding
Christopher Wilding was born in February 1955.
He also worked in the entertainment industry, although mostly away from the type of celebrity spotlight that followed his mother.
His professional work included photography and film sound editing.
Liza Todd
Elizabeth “Liza” Todd was born in August 1957.
Her father was film and theater producer Mike Todd, who died in a plane crash while Liza was still very young.
Richard Burton later adopted Liza.
She eventually became an artist and sculptor rather than following her mother into a major acting career.
Maria therefore grew up in a family where several children chose quieter creative careers instead of trying to recreate Elizabeth Taylor’s Hollywood fame.
Did Maria Burton Carson Become an Actress?
No reliable evidence shows that Maria Burton Carson built a career as a professional actress.
This is important because another woman named Maria Burton has worked as a filmmaker, and online biographies sometimes mix the two people together.
Elizabeth Taylor’s daughter is mainly known for her family connection and her more private life.
ABC News reported that when Maria was younger, she explored modeling and fashion design. She later became involved with a talent agency alongside her first husband.
People’s 2026 profile similarly says that she tried modeling but ultimately lived mostly outside the spotlight.
So while Hollywood surrounded Maria during childhood, she did not become a major film star like either of her famous parents.
Maria Burton Carson’s Modeling and Fashion Interests
During her teens and twenties, Maria reportedly experimented with modeling.
This would not have been especially surprising.
She grew up around fashion, movie premieres, photographers, designers, and some of the most glamorous figures in entertainment.
However, modeling did not turn Maria into a major public celebrity.
ABC News also reported that she explored fashion design.
These interests allowed her to work creatively without necessarily becoming an actress.
She later became involved in a talent business with her first husband.
Still, there is limited reliable public information about how long she worked in these areas or what specific projects she completed.
That lack of information reflects a larger part of Maria’s story: she has generally kept her adult life private.
Maria Burton Carson and Steve Carson
Maria’s first widely reported marriage was to talent agent Steve Carson.
Contemporary reporting from UPI said the couple planned a family wedding in New York in February 1982. Maria was described at the time as the adopted daughter of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.
The marriage brought another important person into Elizabeth Taylor’s family.
Maria and Steve became parents to a daughter.
Maria Burton Carson’s Daughter, Eliza Carson
Maria and Steve Carson welcomed Elizabeth “Eliza” Carson in 1982.
People identifies Eliza as Maria’s daughter and reports that she later became involved with the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation as an ambassador.
An Associated Press report published in November 1982 said Maria gave birth to Elizabeth Diane Carson in New York. The baby was named after her grandmothers.
Eliza also developed a close relationship with her famous grandmother.
Elizabeth Taylor’s HIV/AIDS activism eventually became one of the most important parts of the actress’s legacy, and several members of the younger Taylor family have continued supporting that work.
Eliza’s involvement with the foundation provides a direct connection between Maria’s family and Taylor’s humanitarian legacy.
What Happened to Maria and Steve Carson’s Marriage?
Maria and Steve Carson’s marriage did not last.
Historical reporting shows that the relationship experienced difficulties years after their wedding.
ABC News later reported that the marriage had broken down by 2000 and described a difficult family period involving Maria, her mother, and her children.
Because Maria has rarely discussed her private life publicly, it is better not to treat every claim from old celebrity reports as established fact.
What is clear is that Maria and Steve eventually divorced.
People’s 2026 family profile confirms their marriage, daughter, and later divorce.
Maria Burton Carson’s Marriage to Thomas McKeown
After her marriage to Steve Carson ended, Maria married Thomas McKeown.
People reports that the couple had a son named Richard McKeown.
The choice of Richard as his name is notable because Richard Burton was Maria’s adoptive father.
Maria and McKeown later divorced.
There have been many online stories about difficulties surrounding this relationship. However, because Maria has remained very private and detailed reliable documentation is limited, claims about personal conflicts should be treated carefully.
The safest confirmed facts are that they married, had a son, and later separated.
How Many Children Does Maria Burton Carson Have?
Maria Burton Carson has two publicly known children.
They are:
- Elizabeth “Eliza” Carson, her daughter with Steve Carson.
- Richard McKeown, her son with Thomas McKeown.
People confirmed both children in its 2026 profile of Elizabeth Taylor’s family.
Through Maria and Taylor’s other children, Elizabeth Taylor’s family has continued into younger generations.
Several of those family members have also participated in charitable work linked to Taylor’s legacy.
Maria Burton Carson’s Relationship With Elizabeth Taylor
Maria’s relationship with her mother appears to have remained important throughout her life.
Elizabeth Taylor had an enormous public career, but people who knew her have repeatedly described family as one of her highest priorities.
ABC News reported that Taylor supported Maria during a difficult period in her personal life, showing the protective side of their relationship.
People also reported that Taylor worked hard to keep her children and grandchildren connected, particularly around family gatherings and holidays.
That gives a different picture of Elizabeth Taylor from the glamorous actress many people remember.
For Maria, she was first a mother.
Why Is Maria Burton Carson So Private?
Unlike many children of famous stars, Maria did not build a career based on constant public attention.
There is no widely followed official public profile documenting every part of her daily life, career, or relationships.
People describes her as someone who has “largely led a private life.”
That privacy also means readers should be careful with websites claiming to know every detail about her.
Information such as her current home, personal finances, and everyday activities is not well documented by major reliable sources.
Her quiet lifestyle may be one reason people continue searching for her today.
The less someone shares publicly, the more curiosity often grows around them.
Where Is Maria Burton Carson Now?
Maria Burton Carson remains largely outside the public spotlight.
ABC News reported in 2011 that she was living in Idaho at that time and was no longer working in entertainment.
However, that report is now many years old.
There is not enough current, reliable public information to confidently say exactly where Maria lives in 2026.
People’s updated August 2026 profile focuses on her family history and describes her as private rather than publishing a current residence.
For that reason, claims that she definitely lives in a particular city today should be treated with caution unless Maria or a reliable source confirms them.
What Is Maria Burton Carson’s Net Worth?
Maria Burton Carson’s net worth is not publicly verified.
Some celebrity biography websites publish estimated figures, but those numbers often have no clear financial records behind them.
Maria has not built a public business empire or celebrity career that makes her finances easy to calculate.
It is therefore more accurate to say that her net worth is unknown than to give readers an unsupported number.
Her mother, Elizabeth Taylor, had a valuable estate, jewelry collection, and business interests, but that does not automatically tell us Maria’s personal wealth.
Inheritance and estate matters can also be private.
Why People Still Search for Maria Burton Carson
Interest in Maria comes mainly from the extraordinary family she grew up in.
Elizabeth Taylor remains one of the most recognizable actresses from classic Hollywood.
Richard Burton remains remembered as a major stage and screen actor.
Together, Taylor and Burton created a celebrity story that has continued to fascinate people decades later.
Maria offers a different side of that story.
Instead of chasing the fame surrounding her parents, she mostly stepped away from it.
That makes her interesting in her own way.
Her story is less about Hollywood success and more about what life can look like when someone grows up surrounded by extraordinary fame but chooses privacy.
Maria Burton Carson’s Family Legacy
Elizabeth Taylor’s legacy goes far beyond movies.
During the later part of her life, Taylor became a powerful supporter of people affected by HIV/AIDS.
She helped create the Elizabeth Taylor AIDS Foundation and used her fame to raise money and awareness.
Members of her family have continued supporting that mission.
Maria’s daughter Eliza is among the family members who have served as ambassadors for the foundation.
This means Maria’s branch of the family remains connected to one of Taylor’s most meaningful public causes.
It is a quieter legacy than a movie premiere, but it may be just as important.
Interesting Facts About Maria Burton Carson
Maria Burton Carson’s life contains several details that continue to interest readers.
She was born in Germany before joining Elizabeth Taylor’s family through adoption.
Richard Burton later became her adoptive father after marrying Taylor.
She grew up alongside three siblings: Michael Wilding Jr., Christopher Wilding, and Liza Todd.
Maria explored modeling and fashion-related work when she was younger but did not become a major actress.
She became a mother of two children, Eliza Carson and Richard McKeown.
Unlike her world-famous parents, Maria has spent most of her adult years keeping her personal life away from constant media attention.
Final Thoughts
Maria Burton Carson has one of those life stories that naturally creates curiosity.
She entered a family known around the world, became the daughter of Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton, and experienced a childhood surrounded by the entertainment industry.
Yet she did not spend her adult life trying to become another Hollywood superstar.
Instead, Maria experimented with modeling and fashion, built a family of her own, and largely moved away from the public eye.
That privacy means there are still many parts of her life that the public does not know—and reliable reporting should respect that.
What is clear is that Maria remains an important part of Elizabeth Taylor’s family story. Through her children and the younger generations connected to Taylor’s charitable legacy, that family history continues today.
Frequently Asked Questions About Maria Burton Carson
Who is Maria Burton Carson?
Maria Burton Carson is the adopted daughter of Hollywood stars Elizabeth Taylor and Richard Burton.
When was Maria Burton Carson born?
People reports that Maria Burton was born on January 8, 1961.
How old is Maria Burton Carson?
Maria Burton Carson is 65 years old in 2026.
Where was Maria Burton Carson born?
She was born in Germany before being adopted into Elizabeth Taylor’s family.
Was Maria Burton Carson adopted?
Yes. Elizabeth Taylor began the adoption process, and Richard Burton later adopted Maria as well.
Who are Maria Burton Carson’s parents?
Her adoptive parents were actress Elizabeth Taylor and actor Richard Burton.
Who are Maria Burton Carson’s siblings?
Her siblings are Michael Wilding Jr., Christopher Wilding, and Liza Todd.
Is Maria Burton Carson an actress?
Maria is not known for having a major acting career. She explored modeling and fashion design when she was younger and later lived mainly outside the entertainment spotlight.
Who was Maria Burton Carson married to?
She was married to Steve Carson and later Thomas McKeown. Both marriages ended in divorce.
Does Maria Burton Carson have children?
Yes. She has two publicly known children, Elizabeth “Eliza” Carson and Richard McKeown.
What is Maria Burton Carson’s net worth?
There is no reliable, publicly verified figure for Maria Burton Carson’s personal net worth.
Where is Maria Burton Carson today?
She continues to keep a low public profile. ABC News reported that she lived in Idaho in 2011, but reliable current sources do not clearly confirm her present residence.
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