Eliza Carson tells PEOPLE how her grandmother’s signature scents have comforted her during life’s biggest moments
- Elizabeth Taylor’s granddaughter is looking back on the special moments they shared
- Eliza Carson tells PEOPLE about how her grandmother’s homes smelled like her signature scents and how those fragrances bring her back
- Carson reveals that she’s leaned into these scents during special moments in her life, as a reminder that Taylor is always with her
Elizabeth Taylor’s signature scents meant so much to so many of her fans. For her granddaughter, they were even more personal.
Eliza Carson — daughter of Elizabeth’s daughter with Richard Burton, Maria — is remembering her grandmother ahead of Mother’s Day. Speaking with PEOPLE about Taylor’s legacy, Carson shares how moments big and small from their time together continue to have an impact to this day.
While many remember her for her love of jewelry, I often think of other details from my childhood,” Carson, 42, tells PEOPLE.
“She was always surrounded by flowers — fresh-cut arrangements in her bedroom and bathroom, and a trellis outside her office covered in sweet jasmine. Beyond the pool, there was a beautiful rose-covered archway that led to a greenhouse.”
Carson spent a summer living with Taylor after high school, giving the two a special opportunity to connect.
“One afternoon, she invited me into her closet to pick out a sunhat so we could sit outside together for lunch. I can still remember the sweet and gentle scent of gardenia in her garden and the sight of lily of the valley growing near the edges of her koi pond,” she says.
Inside the home, Taylor’s signature scents were prominent.
“There were areas in my grandmother’s home that always carried the scent of White Diamonds — and in some rooms, Gardenia. Every bathroom had at least two or three of her signature perfumes to choose from,” she recalls.
“As a young girl, I remember stepping through the heavy double wooden front doors onto the plush white carpet and being instantly greeted by that familiar, sweet fragrance. It was unmistakably her. Even now, that scent brings me right back to those moments — and to her.”
As an adult, she’s found comfort in encountering the scents, whether or not she’s the one wearing them.
When I worked in a high-stress environment, I’d add a touch of White Diamonds on my wrists before big court cases. It helped center me — like carrying a little part of her strength into the room,” Carson shares.
“She faced so much with grace and grit. If she could overcome adversity, I could handle a little cross-examination,” she continues. “I also wore it when my cousins and I went to Capitol Hill for AIDSWatch. It felt right to carry her presence with us that day.”
Carson recalls a time where she ran into a young woman wearing White Diamonds.
“I asked if she was wearing it, and to both of our delight, she said yes. I told her it reminded me of my grandmother, and she said it reminded her of hers, too. I didn’t share my family connection, but we shared a kind exchange — proof that my grandmother’s legacy lives on in quiet, unexpected ways,” she says. Taylor died at the age of 79 on March 23, 2011.
Carson has brought Taylor’s legacy into more of her most special moments. She wore Gardenia on her wedding day, and the diamond in her engagement ring was one that she was gifted by her grandmother.
The diamond was a family heirloom, passed down to Taylor by her mother, Sara, who was gifted it by her husband, Francis Taylor. Taylor frequently wore the ring before passing it down. Additionally, Carson wore a Cartier bangle that Elizabeth gave her for her 16th birthday at her wedding.
“I still wear her perfumes today. My current favorites are Gardenia and Sparkling White Diamonds. But Passion and White Diamonds will always be the icons for me — timeless, elegant and deeply personal.”
