About Me
**This is a RP profile and a fansite**
Patricia Anne Boyd was born on March 17, 1945 in Somerset, England. In 1962, Pattie began her modeling career in London, along with her younger sister, Jenny. In 1964 Pattie was spotted by American director Richard Lester (of A Hard Day's Night, Help!, and How I Won the War fame), who wanted to use her in commercials. He got her a job as the Smith's Cripps girl, and she became pretty well known in the London area. Around this time, Lester got hired to work on the Beatles first film, A Hard Day's Night. He cast Pattie a small role in the film, a schoolgirl named Jean, where her only line is "Prisoners?!"
Working on the set with the Beatles, Pattie soon got the opportunity to ask for their autographs. When Pattie got to George, she asked for an autograph for herself and her sisters. As was his custom, he put three kisses on her sister's autographs, but put seven under Pattie's. She remembers, "I figured he must like me a little," which is a bit of an understatement; George was smitten. Her likeness to Brigitte Bardot, the Beatles' dream girl, was enough to give George an initial attraction. He soon asked her out, but Pattie already had a boyfriend of 2 years, Eric Swayne, a 30-year-old photographer. But George was persistent, and finally Pattie agreed to one date. When she told Eric she'd made a date with George, he gave her an ultimatum: give up the date or give up me. But Pattie couldn't resist the "quiet" Beatle, and she soon began developing strong feelings for George.
The new couple soon took a vacation with John and Cynthia in Ireland. George's new girl was discovered by the press, and the paparazzi ended up spoiling the entire vacation. To avoid the press on their way back to London, Pattie and Cynthia dressed up as maids and hid in a dirty linen basket they got from their hotel. The bellboy was hired to transport the girls in the basket to an awaiting truck, and the young boy was greatly excited about such a task. He put the basked in the back of the truck but forgot to unlatch the top, leaving the poor girls tossing and turning in the smelly linen basked all the way to the airport. They were greeted by John and George laughing hysterically.
They tried for another holiday in May of 1964 in Hawaii, where they had a lovely 2-week vacation undisturbed by the press. They next flew to Los Angeles, where the press quickly learned the identity of George's new girl. Pattie Boyd was to become a household name in the world of Beatlemania. Pattie's rising fame landed her a column for 16 Magazine called "Pattie's Letter From London."
In 1965, Pattie moved into George's home in Esher. The fans did not take as kindly to Pattie as they had before as it became apparent how serious their relationship was getting. They would kick and swear at her, even stalk her and send her threatening letters. But the fans couldn't change the fact that the two were in love. George proposed to Pattie on Christmas day, 1965. They got married on January 21, 1966 at the Epsom Registry Office in Surrey. Paul McCartney was the only Beatle in attendance, and Brian Epstein was the best man. They honeymooned in Barbados, and they were so happy they actually allowed the press take photos of them on the beach together.
George had the typical Northern upbringing that the wife was supposed to stay home and be a housewife. Pattie couldn't contest George's insistence, and she was forced to give up her rising modeling career.
In late 1964, LSD entered the lives of the Harrison's. Their first exposure to the drug was when George, Pattie, John Lennon and his wife Cynthia were invited to dinner by George's dentist. He slipped the drug into the 2 couples' tea, and didn't tell the what he had done until after they had finished. John became paranoid that the dentist was trying to get them all into some wild orgy or something, and they raced out of the house. By this time the acid was taking effect, and George could barely drive. But seeing the dentist following in a cab, they managed to get away, driving at about 15 m.p.h. The group remembers that Pattie kept repeating, "Let's get out and smash a window!"
With George always off touring and recording, and her modeling career gone, Pattie was left home alone much of the time. She and George had recently visited India, and they both loved the country. A friend encouraged Pattie to go hear the Maharishi Mahesh Yogi who was coming to lecture. She thought this was a great idea and encouraged George and the other Beatles to too. They all thought this was the answer to getting spiritual fulfillment. After his lecture they all decided to accompany him to his Rishikesh retreat in India. They were all having a great time and were all drug free – that is until it was learned that the Maharishi, who taught that illicit love was wrong, made a pass at Mia Farrow. The Beatles and the rest of the group were greatly disappointed, and they all went back to England, picking up their drug use once again. Their India experience had a great impact on George, who became absorbed in the culture, religion and music of the country. Pattie did not share the same feelings, and the slow end of their marriage began.
On March 12, 1969 – Paul and Linda's wedding day – the Harrison's were busted for possession. On this day Pattie was out shopping, and when she arrived back at her car she found a pack of cigarettes on the windshield. Inside was a note and a package containing some hash. She put it in her purse and went home. Later that day, Norman Pilcher – notorious for busting rock stars on drug charges – arrived at the Harrison's when Pattie was home alone. He was strapped with a warrant to search the place for drugs. Pattie was terrified because of the hashish she'd taken home, and called George to ask what to do. George told her not to give them an argument and to just tell them where it was and give it to them, which she did. The Harrison's were taken to jail but released on bail. They plead guilty of possession of illegal substances. Pattie believed that the hash must have been purposely planted on her, and ironically two years later, Sergeant Pilcher was be charged and convicted for planting illegal drugs on famous stars.
The Harrison's marriage was getting rockier as the years went on. Drugs and George's newfound Eastern religion wedged an ever-growing gap between them. George was also having constant affairs with the "Apple Scruffs," fans that lingered outside the Abbey Road studios. (In 1970 George would dedicate a song to them, "Apple Scruffs", on his album All Things Must Pass.) Pattie was aware of her husband's infidelities, but she remained faithful for a long time. Finally, she grew so angry, she decided to make a pass at George's best friend, Eric Clapton. This didn't last long, however, as Pattie was so deeply in love with George. This little affair ended up causing another problem for Pattie: Eric had fallen madly in love with her. His infamous song "Layla" was written for her, but she could not leave George. Clapton became severely depressed and went into seclusion, almost killing himself with a heroin addiction.
George and Pattie's marriage was increasingly deteriorating. One night the couple went to the Starr's home, and George drunkenly confessed that he had a crush on Ringo's wife Maureen, and proposed to Ringo that they swap wives for the evening. Pattie locked herself in the bathroom, crying inconsolably. Later George and Maureen did have a fling. Their marriage on a downward spiral, Pattie began doing what she wanted to do, regardless of her husband's wishes. She picked up her modeling career again, and even had a brief affair with Ron Wood of the Rolling Stones.
In 1973, the Harrison's decided to split. Ironically, the very night George decided to try and patch things up once more, it was too late – Pattie was off with Eric in Los Angeles. Eric finally got his "Layla," and the two were married years later on March 27, 1979 in Tuscon, Arizona. Guests included Paul McCartney, Ringo Starr, Denny and JoJo Laine, Mick Jagger, Elton John, David Bowie, and even George and his new wife, Olivia Arias. The ceremony was conducted completely in Spanish.
Pattie's fairytale marriage to Eric would soon go sour as well. The same old housewife routine was repeating itself with Eric, and Pattie became depressed. Her began drinking often, and her alcoholism worsened when Eric's extramarital affairs became more and more apparent. He had two children with other women, which is what ultimately drove the two apart. Pattie was unable to have children, a fact that devastated her. By 1985, she had had enough.
Pattie is currently is living a happy life with property developer Rod Weston, whom she's been with since 1991. She is working as a photographer in London. She still hangs out with stars such as Mick Jagger and Keith Richards. She has remained close friends with George and Eric. She is very respected in the music world for never selling her extraordinary story.
*bio taken from Wild Honey Pie *
