— 1944: Patricia Anne “Pattie” Boyd born in Somerset, the eldest of six children.

— Starts modelling in her late teens; models for Mary Quant and works with top photographers, including David Bailey and Terence Donovan.

— At 19, meets George Harrison after being cast in a bit part in A Hard Day’s Night.

— Is commissioned to write “Pattie’s Letter from London” column for 16 magazine.

— 1965: Boyd moves in with Harrison.

— 1966: Boyd and Harrison are married.

— After marrying, Boyd gives up her career. Her last photo shoot is with her sister, Jenny, for Vogue.

— 1968: Harrison writes the Boyd-inspired Something. It becomes a classic Beatles love song.

— 1970: Eric Clapton expresses his unrequited love for Boyd in Layla.

— 1973: after a series of infidelities by Harrison, Boyd has a brief affair with Ronnie Wood (before he joins the Rolling Stones).

— 1974: leaves Harrison for Clapton (“the last straw” was Harrison’s affair with Ringo Starr’s wife, Maureen Starkey).

— 1977: Harrison and Boyd are divorced.

— 1977: Clapton releases Wonderful Tonight, which he’d written for Boyd.

— 1979: Boyd and Clapton are married.

— 1985: after being humiliated by two very public affairs that produced children, Boyd is separated from Clapton.

— 1989: Boyd and Clapton are divorced.

Explore Books

• Book Extracts

• Book Reviews

• Books Group

• Audio Books

Times Recommends

• The 100 Best Books of the Decade
• The Times picks the 50 best paperbacks of 2009
• The conversation: James Ellroy