George Harrison's Wife Olivia Reflects on Rare Photos of Late Beatle Featured in New Book — See the Pics! (Exclusive)

Mar. 15, 2025

George Harrisonwas just three years out of theBeatleswhen he releasedLiving in the Material Worldin 1973, a moving rumination on the star’s struggle to find spiritual enlightenment amid the excess of stardom.

The book features never-before-seen photos of Harrison, who died in 2001 at age 58, spending time at his Friar Park property in England. It was a period in the star’s life that he later called “very emotional,” as he felt desperate to help the refugee crisis in Bangladesh.

He ultimately launched the Concert for Bangladesh andThe Material World Foundation, and donated all ofMaterial World’s publishing royalties to the organization.

Here, Olivia Harrison reflects on rare and never-before-seen photos of her husband.

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A Pensive Troubadour

“George wearing the outfit and shoes he had on when I met him. He called these his ‘vegetarian shoes.’ He borrowed a house he thought was quite grand at the time, as an example of living in the material world.”

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Cheers!

“Obviously the theme ofLiving In the Material Worldwas the dilemma of navigating both material and spiritual worlds in unison. Here is George illustrating both at the same time.”

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A Musician’s Wish

“I hope you revisitLiving in the Material World, or discover it for the first time, and as you listen, share George’s wish for himself and mankind…..

Give me Love

Give me Peace on Earth.”

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Say Cheese

05of 05Green GardensSue FloodFriar Park was Harrison’s Victorian neo-Gothic mansion in Henley-on-Thames, England, which he bought in 1970. He restored many of the home’s gardens, including this Topiary Garden.His and Olivia’s son Dhani wrote in Olivia’s bookGeorge Harrison: Living in the Material Worldthat his earliest memories of his father were of the star “somewhere in a garden covered in dirt… just continuously planting trees. I think that’s what I thought he did for the first seven years of my life.”

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Green Gardens

Sue Flood

Friar Park was Harrison’s Victorian neo-Gothic mansion in Henley-on-Thames, England, which he bought in 1970. He restored many of the home’s gardens, including this Topiary Garden.

His and Olivia’s son Dhani wrote in Olivia’s bookGeorge Harrison: Living in the Material Worldthat his earliest memories of his father were of the star “somewhere in a garden covered in dirt… just continuously planting trees. I think that’s what I thought he did for the first seven years of my life.”

source: people.com