Love, Betrayal, and Redemption: The Ringo Starr and George Harrison Saga
When thinking about The Beatles and romantic entanglements, many people may recall the false rumor involving John Lennon and Yoko Ono. However, a lesser-known drama unfolded between Ringo Starr and George Harrison, involving an alleged affair with Starr's wife, Maureen Cox. Starr and Cox married in 1965, while Harrison tied the knot with Pattie Boyd in 1966. By the mid-1970s, both marriages had ended, with Starr moving on with Barbara Bach and Harrison with Olivia Arias.
Ringo Starr, born Richard Starkey, married Maureen Cox in 1965, with George Harrison and John Lennon as witnesses. Cox, who worked as a hairdresser in Liverpool, met Starr in 1962 and they had three children together. Pattie Boyd, George Harrison's first wife, claimed in her memoir that Cox had an affair with Harrison, which contributed to the breakdown of her marriage with Harrison in 1974.
Boyd recounted an incident where she found Cox and Harrison locked in a room together, leading to further tension in their relationships. While neither Starr nor Harrison publicly addressed the alleged affair, a biography of Harrison claimed that he confessed his feelings to Starr, who responded with surprising acceptance.
Boyd also mentioned that Cox and Harrison flaunted their affair in front of her, causing further distress. Despite the affair leading to the end of their marriages, Harrison and Cox did not find lasting love together. Harrison went on to marry Olivia Arias, while Boyd married Eric Clapton. Cox later married Isaac Tigrett, co-founder of Hard Rock Café and House of Blues, until her death in 1994.
After his divorce from Cox, Ringo Starr married Barbara Bach in 1981. The couple met at an airport and have been together ever since. Bach inspired a song on Starr's latest album, expressing gratitude for her presence in his life. Their relationship has endured, with Starr also becoming a stepfather to Bach's two children from a previous relationship.