Patricia Anne "Pattie" Boyd is a model, photographer and author from the United Kingdom. She was the first wife of both George Harrison and Eric Clapton. In August 2007, she published her autobiography Wonderful Tonight. Her photographs of Harrison and Clapton, titled Throug...
Eric Clapton (m. 1979–1988), George Harrison (m. 1966–1977)
Parents
Diana Frances Boyd, Colin Ian Langdon Boyd
Siblings
Jenny Boyd, Colin Boyd, Paula Boyd
Nicknames
Patricia Anne Boyd , Patricia Anne "Pattie" Boyd , Patty Boyd
Star Sign
Pisces
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Trademark
1
Gap in front teeth
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Quote
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On living in Eric Clapton's country house: "I loved living in the country; that was the best time we had. It was the most staggeringly romantic garden. There was a sadness in the house and garden, a kind of melancholy which was very Eric, in a way, and very creative."
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On touring with Eric Clapton in the 1970s: "Eric would just completely pass out wherever he was sitting, whether it was on the sofa or the floor, because he was saturated with drink. The realisation hit me: 'This isn't fun. He's not having fun'."
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On leaving George Harrison for Eric Clapton in 1974: "In my naivety, I believed everything was all right. He wasn't taking heroin, which I thought was the main addiction for him. But, as it turned out, his drug of choice turned out to be alcohol."
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Eric Clapton showed me this packet of heroin and said: 'Either you come away with me or I will take this'. I was appalled. I grabbed at it and tried to throw it away, but he snatched it back. I turned him down - and, for four years, he became a drug addict. At first, I felt guilt. Then I felt anger because it was totally irrational of him to blame me for something he was probably going to do anyway; it was very selfish and destructive.
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I was a very shy person and, I suppose, easily manipulated. Of course, it's flattering to feel someone desperately wants you, but looking back, it's quite uncomfortable to realise that you were the object of desire. That's quite a passive thing to be.
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"One Christmas, I'd cooked lunch and most people had arrived and I couldn't find Eric. It was snowing outside, and I went out and called him, but I couldn't find him and became concerned. I just imagined him stumbling around in the garden. Anything could have happened." (It turned out that Eric Clapton was asleep on a logpile in the basement.)
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On Eric Clapton's attempts at alcoholism recovery: "It was becoming very difficult. You'd look for the part of the person you know and love, but it was hard to find. I think Eric was worried about his talent totally disappearing if he stopped drinking, which is a common idea among creative people."
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It probably took me six years to get over it, with four years of psychotherapy. My self-esteem was unbelievably low, and I found it really hard to build up relationships because I had been used to difficult people. Anybody who was sweet and nice to me was no challenge.
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On why she became a muse for rock stars: "Maybe it had more to do with them. Perhaps Eric Clapton just wanted what George Harrison had. I don't know - I just think it's amazing we've come through it and we're all still alive."
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On divorcing Eric Clapton: "It was the most difficult thing I ever did in my life. I loved him deeply, but knowing that he was still seeing Conor's mother (Lory Del Santo), I felt there was no role for me. Because he loved me, he believed I would be pleased and happy for him that he had a baby. It was as if I was his best friend; that he could tell me everything without realising how deeply painful this was for me."
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When I was asking George for his (autograph), I said could he sign it for my two sisters as well. He signed his name and put two kisses each for them, but under mine he put seven kisses. I thought he must like me a little.
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I thought he was very good looking and charming." about meeting George for the first time.
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He's very independent and he's breaking out more and more. He's found something stronger than the Beatles, though he still wants them to share it.
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George hardly said hello. When we started filming, I could feel George looking at me and I was a bit embarrassed.
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I just don't want to be the little wife sitting at home. I want to do something worthwhile.
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Fact
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(April 30, 2015) Married for the 3rd time her boyfriend of almost 25 years Rod Weston at the Chelsea Registry Office at Chelsea Old Town Hall in London.
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Release of her book, "Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton and Me" by Patti with Penny Junor. [2007]
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Pattie had her first photo exhibition in San Francisco, showing her personal collection of photos featuring George Harrison, Eric Clapton, Ronnie Wood, Mick Jagger and many other her famous friends. [February 2005]
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Boyd's only word of dialog in her film debut - A Hard Day's Night (1964) - was an incredulous "Prisoners?".
5
One of the problems in her marriage to George Harrison was their inability to conceive a child, as the other Beatles married and started families. George told their friends that he was infertile, but years later, after the birth of his son Dhani (with second wife Olivia Harrison) in 1978, everyone knew better.
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Was the one who originally drew The Beatles to the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, when she joined his Spiritual Regeneration Movement and began sharing their books and pamphlets with husband, George. George, in turn, shared them with the band.
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Her younger siblings are Colin Ian Langdon Boyd, Jr. (b. about 1946), Helen Mary "Jenny" Boyd (b. about 1948), Paula Boyd (b. about 1951), David J. B. Gaymer-Jones (b. about 1954), and Robert Gaymer-Jones (b. about 1956). Jenny Boyd married a member of Fleetwood Mac, Mick Fleetwood.
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At age three, Pattie nicknamed her newborn sister Helen Mary Boyd "Jenny", after one of her dolls. Jenny Boyd became a model in her own right, accompanied The Beatles to India to study meditation, inspired [pop singer Donovan (who wrote "Jennifer Juniper" during his fruitless pursuit of her), and married drummer Mick Fleetwood of Fleetwood Mac fame.
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From about 1947 to 1954, the Boyd family moved to Nairobi, Kenya, East Africa, because her father, a WWII RAF pilot, was assigned to run a horse breeding farm there. About 1954, her parents divorced and her mother took the children back to England.
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Pattie got into modeling after working as a hairstylist. Her client asked her if she was interested in modeling. The client happened to be a modeling agent and her first test shots were taken the very next day.
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Met George Harrison on the set of A Hard Day's Night (1964). George tried to ask her out, but she refused; she had a boyfriend at the time. But he persisted, she eventually gave in, and they started dating.
The eldest of six children born to Colin Ian Langdon "Jock" Boyd and Diana Frances Drysdale.
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Eric Clapton's song, "Layla" (by Derek and and the Dominoes), is written about Pattie Boyd. George Harrison, who was also once married to Boyd, wrote several songs about her as well ("Something", etc.).
$20 Million
