Pattie Boyd to auction ‘love triangle’ letters from George Harrison, Eric Clapton

One part of one of the most famous musical love triangles in history is auctioning off the letters written by Eric Clapton to woo her from her husband, George Harrison.

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Pattie Boyd is selling the letters from both musical legends and other possessions, BBC News reported.

Boyd was the inspiration behind Harrison’s song and The Beatles hit “Something” and Clapton’s “Wonderful Tonight” and “Layla.”

She appeared in the music video for “Something” alongside Harrison, Paul and Linda McCartney, John Lennon and Yoko Ono, and Ringo Starr and Maureen Starkey.

Boyd had been cast in The Beatles’ “A Hard Day’s Night” at the age of 19 and connected with the “quiet” guitarist.

“He was quite shy, like me. I think that’s why we got on,” she said in a news release from Christie’s, the auction house selling the letters.

Harrison asked her to marry him at the end of the first day of filming. She said no since she was in a relationship with a photographer, but her friends persuaded her to choose Harrison.

“They all asked me if I was completely mad, saying, ‘Imagine George Harrison asking you out, you lucky thing!,’” she said.

The couple got married in 1966 after two years of dating, but the singer/songwriter was on tour most of the time, writing back to his wife. In one of the letters up for sale, Harrison wrote, “Hope you’re OK. I miss you. I’m starving - many grilled cheese sandwiches. Love you.”

Clapton also started writing Boyd letters, putting his love on paper. Clapton and Harrison had been long-time friends, Christie’s said.

Clapton wrote her in 1970, “I am writing this letter to you, with the main purpose of ascertaining your feelings towards a subject well known to both of us.” He eventually got to the point, asking, “What I wish to ask you is if you still love your husband?” adding, “All these questions are very impertinent, I know, but if there is still a feeling in your heart for me... you must let me know!”

Boyd said she thought the letter, signed “All my love, E,” was from a fan but came to find out it was from Clapton when he called her.

He then used the nickname, and eventual song title “Layla” in a future letter “If you want me, take me, I’m yours... if you don’t want me, please break the spell that binds me. To cage a wild animal is a sin, to tame him is divine. My love is yours.”

She called the subsequential song “so beautiful and so magical,” the BBC reported. But at the same time she “worried that George would work out why Eric had written this song.”

Eventually, Harrison and Boyd broke up, and few years later, Boyd and Clapton married in 1979 with The Beatles guitarist’s blessing. Harrison would call Clapton his “husband-in-law,” the BBC reported.

But Boyd and Clapton broke up due to his alcoholism and cheating, with the couple divorcing in 1989.

In addition to the letters, Boyd is also selling paintings, photographs, jewelry and clothing. Some of the items had been owned by Clapton, and she received his permission to put them on the auction block, The Telegraph reported.

“He asked if I was selling the Layla painting, and I said yes,” she said. “He said, ‘Maybe there are other things you could sell as well.’ So he’s absolutely fine with me auctioning everything.”

The sale will be online from March 8 to 21, with it on public display at Christie’s in London from March 15-22.

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Photos: Eric Clapton through the years Here are some memorable photos of musician Eric Clapton through the years. (AP Photo/Evan Agostini)

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Through the years The Beatles (L to R) George Harrison, John Lennon and Paul McCartney, stand outside McCartney's home January 1, 1960 in Liverpool, England. Ringo Starr was not to join the band for another two years. (Photo by Getty Images) (Getty Images/Getty Images)

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