Eric Clapton & Pattie Boyd: The Love Triangle That Produced 'Layla' and 'Wonderful Tonight' — Then Ended in Betrayal
She left a Beatle for him. He wrote the greatest love songs in rock history for her. Then he drank himself into oblivion and cheated.
Key Facts
What Happened
Pattie Boyd is the woman who inspired some of the greatest love songs ever written. She married Beatle George Harrison in 1966, inspiring 'Something' — which Frank Sinatra called the greatest love song of the 20th century. Eric Clapton, Harrison's close friend, fell desperately in love with her and wrote 'Layla' (1970) as an open declaration of his obsession. He also wrote 'Bell Bottom Blues' and, later, 'Wonderful Tonight' for her. Boyd left Harrison in 1977, and she married Clapton on March 27, 1979. George Harrison attended the reception.
The Clapton-Boyd marriage was marked by his severe alcoholism. Clapton was consuming up to two bottles of brandy a day during their early years together. Boyd later wrote that the man who had pursued her so passionately became distant, cruel, and unfaithful once he had 'won' her. She suspected that Clapton's pursuit had been more about competing with his friend George Harrison than about genuine love — 'Eric just wanted what George had.'
Clapton's numerous affairs were the final breaking point. The most significant was with Italian model Lory Del Santo, who gave birth to Clapton's son Conor in 1986 while he was still married to Boyd. (Conor tragically died in 1991 at age 4 after falling from a 53rd-floor window, inspiring the song 'Tears in Heaven.') Boyd left Clapton in April 1987, and the divorce was granted in 1989 on grounds of infidelity and unreasonable behaviour.
Boyd's story is a cautionary tale about the difference between being pursued and being loved. The intense romantic pursuit — immortalized in 'Layla' — did not translate into a faithful or loving marriage. Boyd wrote in her 2007 memoir 'Wonderful Tonight' that both Harrison and Clapton were deeply flawed husbands, and that being someone's muse does not protect you from being mistreated. The songs remain among the greatest ever recorded, but the marriage they celebrated was, in Boyd's words, 'devastating.'
Legal Breakdown: Celebrity Divorce
Fault-Based Divorce in England (Pre-2022)
Before England's no-fault divorce law took effect in April 2022, divorcing parties had to prove one of five facts: adultery, unreasonable behaviour, desertion, two years' separation with consent, or five years' separation without consent. Boyd's petition cited both adultery and unreasonable behaviour — a common combination that strengthened her case and affected the financial settlement.
Alcoholism and Marriage
Clapton's severe alcoholism was a central factor in the marriage's failure. In divorce proceedings, a spouse's addiction can be relevant to property division (wasting assets on alcohol or drugs), custody (if children are involved), and the overall conduct of the marriage. Courts in both the UK and US can consider addiction as evidence of unreasonable behaviour or fault.
Children Born During Marriage to Another Partner
Clapton fathered a child with Lory Del Santo while still married to Boyd. When a married person has a child with someone outside the marriage, it creates complex legal obligations: child support for the non-marital child, potential claims against marital assets for support, and devastating emotional evidence in the divorce proceedings.
What This Means for Your Divorce
- →Intense romantic pursuit does not guarantee a good marriage. Pay attention to how someone treats you daily, not how they pursue you initially.
- →Alcoholism destroys marriages. If your spouse has a drinking problem, insist on treatment as a condition of staying — and have an exit plan if they refuse.
- →A spouse's infidelity that produces a child creates both legal and emotional complications that last decades. This is among the most devastating forms of betrayal in a marriage.
- →Writing your story on your own terms — as Boyd did in her memoir — can be powerful therapy and can help others in similar situations.
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This article is based on publicly available court records, news reports, and legal analysis. It is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by reading this content.
Divorce laws vary by jurisdiction. Always consult a licensed attorney in your area before making legal decisions.