转 nytimes:
Eric Clapton was apparently anything but a Slow Hand when it came to the ladies -- including, quite possibly, Princess Diana.
The legendary guitarist plucked the heart-strings (and perhaps more) of the then-newly divorced Diana in 1993, an explosive new biography alleges.
In "Motherless Child: The Definitive Biography of Eric Clapton, "which hits stores on March 12, author Paul Scott claims that Diana caught Clapton's eye when they were both regulars at the London swanky Italian eatery, San Lorenzo.
RON GALELLA/WIREIMAGESinger Eric Clapton, 44, and then-21-year-old model Carla Bruni arrive at Bill Wyman's Birthday Party on October 24, 1989 in New York.
"They had first been introduced backstage at a charity concert for Prince Charles's the Prince's Trust at Wembley Arena in June 1987. Clapton later cringed that he had rather presumptuously addressed her as 'Di'. For her part, the princess didn't bat an eyelid," Scott writes in the book, according to an excerpt published in London's Daily Mail.
"According to a society friend of Clapton's, who was also on speaking terms with Diana, the attraction between them was 'absolutely obvious'. 'There was a 'Carry On' film element to it,' says the friend. 'A lot of winking and overtly steamy looks. A story went around that one time when she and Eric were both at San Lorenzo, Diana began sucking suggestively on a piece of ice as she gave him the eye. Everyone loved that."
When Scott poked into whether or not the pair had gone further than just suggesting, the unnamed source replied, "Well, they were both free agents and Eric's always liked a challenge," according to the Daily Mail.
If indeed the former Princess of Wales ended up a notch on Clapton's fret-board, she was in good company. Among the other bold-faced names who reportedly laid down with the "Lay Down Sally" rocker were actresses Patsy Kensit, Cher, supermodel Christy Turlington, singer Sheryl Crowe and "Basic Instinct" star Sharon Stone.
HEADLINE BOOK PUBLISHINGThe cover of Paul Scott’s 'Motherless Child : The Definitive Biography of Eric Clapton.'
But, unfortunately for Clapton, he wasn't and isn't the biggest love god in the rock pantheon.
In 1990, while dating Italian-French supermodel Carla Bruni, then 21, who was 23 years his junior, Clapton made the mistake of introducing her to Rolling Stones front-man and notorious lothario Mick Jagger.
"Fearing Jagger would be unable to resist making a play for the beautiful Carla, Clapton took him aside and pleaded: 'Please, Mick, not this one. I think I'm in love,'" Scott writes in "Motherless Child."
"He could have saved his breath. Within days, the high-born Carla- who would go on become the wife of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy - was already beginning a passionate seven-year affair with Jagger that would eventually spell the end of the singer's second marriage to Jerry Hall."
Eric Clapton was apparently anything but a Slow Hand when it came to the ladies -- including, quite possibly, Princess Diana.
The legendary guitarist plucked the heart-strings (and perhaps more) of the then-newly divorced Diana in 1993, an explosive new biography alleges.
In "Motherless Child: The Definitive Biography of Eric Clapton, "which hits stores on March 12, author Paul Scott claims that Diana caught Clapton's eye when they were both regulars at the London swanky Italian eatery, San Lorenzo.
RON GALELLA/WIREIMAGESinger Eric Clapton, 44, and then-21-year-old model Carla Bruni arrive at Bill Wyman's Birthday Party on October 24, 1989 in New York."They had first been introduced backstage at a charity concert for Prince Charles's the Prince's Trust at Wembley Arena in June 1987. Clapton later cringed that he had rather presumptuously addressed her as 'Di'. For her part, the princess didn't bat an eyelid," Scott writes in the book, according to an excerpt published in London's Daily Mail.
"According to a society friend of Clapton's, who was also on speaking terms with Diana, the attraction between them was 'absolutely obvious'. 'There was a 'Carry On' film element to it,' says the friend. 'A lot of winking and overtly steamy looks. A story went around that one time when she and Eric were both at San Lorenzo, Diana began sucking suggestively on a piece of ice as she gave him the eye. Everyone loved that."
When Scott poked into whether or not the pair had gone further than just suggesting, the unnamed source replied, "Well, they were both free agents and Eric's always liked a challenge," according to the Daily Mail.
If indeed the former Princess of Wales ended up a notch on Clapton's fret-board, she was in good company. Among the other bold-faced names who reportedly laid down with the "Lay Down Sally" rocker were actresses Patsy Kensit, Cher, supermodel Christy Turlington, singer Sheryl Crowe and "Basic Instinct" star Sharon Stone.
HEADLINE BOOK PUBLISHINGThe cover of Paul Scott’s 'Motherless Child : The Definitive Biography of Eric Clapton.'But, unfortunately for Clapton, he wasn't and isn't the biggest love god in the rock pantheon.
In 1990, while dating Italian-French supermodel Carla Bruni, then 21, who was 23 years his junior, Clapton made the mistake of introducing her to Rolling Stones front-man and notorious lothario Mick Jagger.
"Fearing Jagger would be unable to resist making a play for the beautiful Carla, Clapton took him aside and pleaded: 'Please, Mick, not this one. I think I'm in love,'" Scott writes in "Motherless Child."
"He could have saved his breath. Within days, the high-born Carla- who would go on become the wife of former French President Nicolas Sarkozy - was already beginning a passionate seven-year affair with Jagger that would eventually spell the end of the singer's second marriage to Jerry Hall."
