Pattie Boyd was a leading fashion model of the 1960s, then the wife of two of the most famous guitarists of her generation: George Harrison of the Beatles and Eric Clapton. She became a muse for songs including “Something” and “Layla,” and later a photographer and author in her own right.
A Model in 1960s London
Patricia Anne Boyd was born on March 17, 1944, in Taunton, Somerset, England. She grew up in England and Kenya and began modelling in London in the early 1960s, at the height of the “Swinging London” era. She appeared in fashion magazines and advertisements and became one of the era’s recognisable faces.
In 1964 she had a small uncredited role in the Beatles film A Hard Day’s Night. On set she met George Harrison. They began a relationship and married on January 21, 1966.
Marriage to George Harrison
Boyd and Harrison were married for 11 years, from 1966 to 1977. She travelled with the Beatles, accompanied Harrison to India in 1968 for transcendental meditation with Maharishi Mahesh Yogi, and became part of the Beatles’ inner circle.
Harrison wrote “Something” (1969) for Boyd, according to his own later account and Boyd’s memoir. The song became one of the Beatles’ most covered tracks. Their marriage ended in divorce in 1977, after Boyd had begun a relationship with Harrison’s friend Eric Clapton.
Marriage to Eric Clapton
Clapton had pursued Boyd for several years, writing “Layla” (1970) about his love for her. After her divorce from Harrison, Boyd married Clapton in 1979. The marriage lasted until their divorce in 1989, and was marked by Clapton’s struggles with alcohol and by infidelity on both sides, as documented in Boyd’s memoir and Clapton’s autobiography.
Boyd later said that, while the Clapton marriage brought her public attention, it also brought personal difficulty, and she has spoken candidly about the period in interviews and in her books.
Photographer and Author
In later life Boyd returned to photography, exhibiting photographs she had taken in the 1960s and 1970s of Harrison, Clapton, and other musicians. Her memoir Wonderful Tonight: George Harrison, Eric Clapton, and Me (2007) became a bestseller and gave her own account of both marriages.
In 2015 she married property developer Rod Weston, her third husband. She continues to exhibit photography and to appear at events related to the Beatles and 1960s culture.
What Is Not Established About Her Finances
No verified personal net-worth figure for Pattie Boyd is reported here. Estimates published by celebrity-finance websites are not audited and vary, and divorce settlements and book royalties are not the same as personal assets. This article reports her documented careers — as a model, photographer, and author — rather than a fortune figure.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who was Pattie Boyd married to?
George Harrison from 1966 to 1977, Eric Clapton from 1979 to 1989, and Rod Weston from 2015.
How did Pattie Boyd meet George Harrison?
On the set of A Hard Day’s Night in 1964, where she had a small uncredited role.
Was “Something” written for Pattie Boyd?
Harrison later said it was written for her, and it became one of the Beatles’ most famous love songs.
Was “Layla” written about Pattie Boyd?
Yes, Eric Clapton wrote “Layla” about his love for Boyd while she was married to Harrison.
What did Pattie Boyd do after her marriages?
She became a photographer and author, publishing Wonderful Tonight in 2007.
