Pattie Boyd And George Harrison's Final Meeting Contained A Sentimental Conversation
Pattie Boyd was only 19 years old when she first met George Harrison while on the set of the Beatles' 1964 film, "A Hard Day's Night," according to Yahoo. As a model quickly making a name for herself in the world of high fashion, she'd appeared in a commercial, so it was easy for her to jump to the conclusion that her audition was for just another advertisement. Imagine her surprise when she learned that she not only got the part, but that it was in a movie featuring the biggest band in the world at the time.
According to Yahoo, Boyd told People magazine that she immediately got nervous when she found out what she was actually doing: "Initially I thought, 'I can't do this. I'm not an actress. There's no way I can do this. But my agent said to me, 'Don't worry, you've only got one word to say. Easy peasy. It'll be fine.'" While she spoke only one word in the film, it was during the filming of her scene that she met George Harrison of the Beatles, which led to them getting married two years later.
A unique relationship, and a sad goodbye
According to Yahoo, Pattie Boyd was the inspiration behind several of George Harrison's songs, which may have given the public the impression that their marriage was a perfectly happy one. However, this wasn't entirely the case, as their careers began to move in separate directions by the beginning of the 1970s, ultimately resulting in a divorce in 1974. Still, the two remained on good terms, even when Boyd married Eric Clapton in 1979; Boyd said that when Harrison found out she was marrying the legendary guitarist, he said, "Well, I'm glad you're going off with Eric instead of some idiot," as quoted in Yahoo.
For decades after their divorce, Harrison and Boyd remained friendly. However, their time together came to an end just a few months before Harrison's tragic death in November 2001. According to Boyd, he visited her one last time for a social call that, even though it was marked with music and tea, was a thinly-veiled goodbye, even if he didn't outright say it. While the two of them made their way around her garden, Harrison pointed to a couple of flowers blowing in the breeze, remarking that they were shivering. It may have seemed like a casual observation, but according to Yahoo, Boyd said, "Only George would think flowers 'shiver.' It was so sweet." It's hard to know what exactly he meant by that comment, but it ties a melancholic bow on a fascinating life.
George Harrison's other final conversation
According to The Vintage News, Pattie Boyd wasn't the person that George Harrison shared a heartbreaking last conversation with. Not long before the Beatle succumbed to lung cancer complications, he met with fellow Beatle Ringo Starr. While it's a touching exchange, it's not without a hint of the dry humor that typified the more reserved Harrison.
The Vintage News states that Harrison spent his final weeks at his home in Switzerland. During that time, Starr visited him as Harrison was gradually becoming weaker and weaker. Starr told Harrison that he had to leave for Boston to be with his daughter who had her own serious health issues; Harrison, despite his condition, asked Starr, "Do you want me to come with you?" knowing full well that he was not up to the trip. Again, it was another casual remark, but it reveals just how kind he was even as he knew he was about to shuffle off this mortal coil, never letting the gravity of his approaching death stop him from appreciating the lives he was leaving behind.