Paul McCartney on holiday in Sardinia

Paul McCartney and Linda Eastman first met in May 1967 in London, spent additional time together when Paul and John visited New York in May 1968 for Apple’s promotion, and their romance blossomed in June 1968 during Paul’s promotional trip to Los Angeles for Apple.

In mid-August 1968, Paul McCartney invited Linda Eastman to London. Around that time, he ended his brief relationship with Francie Schwartz, an American scriptwriter, which had lasted a couple of months. Linda arrived in London sometime between September 23 and 25, 1968.

However, in early September, Paul had also invited Maggie McGivern, a 23-year-old he had initially met in January 1966, to join him on a holiday in Sardinia. A press article released on September 29 reported that Maggie was Paul’s new girlfriend.

By September 1968 I had rented a flat on my own in Fawcett Street, Chelsea. I really wanted to live alone. I hadn’t been there long when one day I got a telegram at my flat from Paul. It said: “Flying to the sun. Car picking you up at 8pm. Love Paul.”

I was so excited because I had no idea where we were going. A car drew up and we went to pick up Paul at St John’s Wood. As he came out he took an Instamatic camera from a fan, who was camped outside his house, and told us he was borrowing it to take on holiday.

Paul had hired a private jet so no one would spot us. There was a proper lounge, no rows of seats — we were drinking champagne and laughing and joking with a male cousin of Paul, and his American girlfriend. I kept asking him where we were going, but he refused to tell me.

Maggie McGivern – From The Daily Mail, April 12, 1997

The plane landed in Sardinia but Maggie had no idea where she was until she spotted a sign. They had a hotel suite overlooking the ocean. Much of their time was spent in restaurants where, she says, they were ‘treated like royalty’. At one banquet in their honour, they walked into a room full of women dressed in ballgowns. Maggie had a T-shirt dress. ‘Paul and I just collapsed in giggles,’ she says. ‘We thought it was hilarious.’

Most of their time, however, was spent on the golden sands. Indeed, while they were on the beach, two things happened which changed the course of their relationship. First, they were spotted by a photographer — a picture of them together appeared in a Sunday newspaper back home. The report described her as his ‘new girlfriend’. Maggie confirmed that they had been going out together — and suddenly the world knew of their secret liaison. More significantly, perhaps, it may have changed the way they viewed themselves.

Maggie explains: ‘We were lying on the beach just being young and in love. Paul turned to me, smiling, and out of the blue he just said: “Have you ever thought about getting married?” ‘I said: “Yes, I suppose, one day…” and I thought nothing more of it. Looking back, it was obviously the wrong answer. When I said “one day” I meant in six months, maybe, but not never. But Paul was always slightly insecure and probably saw me as such a free spirit that he thought I was never going to settle down. On the journey home we were singing Those Were The Days and falling around laughing. I went back to Paul’s house with him — I distinctly remember waltzing around the room with him.’

Paul and Maggie continued to see each other in the following months but the subject of marriage was never mentioned again, she says.

‘I suppose I assumed we would end up together but at the time I was just enjoying it all. In the Sixties there was so much going on that I didn’t have time to sit and think about the future. I suppose that, with the pressures of fame, Paul was craving security.’

From The Daily Mail, April 12, 1997

One day, a little while after we returned from Sardinia, I rang Paul — and Linda answered the phone. I had seen a newspaper story about him having lunch with her before that, but I wasn’t the type to ask questions or get jealous. I remember Paul telling Linda to get off the phone and I asked him who she was and what was happening. He said: “I don’t know the scene, man. I don’t know what’s going on.”

Maggie McGivern – From The Daily Mail, April 12, 1997

Yes – it’s Paul. WITH THE NEW GIRL HE WHISKED OFF IN A PRIVATE JET

It’s Paul McCartney all right. But looking something of a changed Beatle since the riotous old days of Beatlemania. The hair is long, but it’s not the famous Beatle mop it used to be. And there’s a suggestion of a paunch under the casual shirt.

A change in girlfriends, too. Since his engagement to actress Jane Asher ended, he’s been seeing a lot of 24-year-old Maggie McGivern, who looks after a stall in a Chelsea antique market, in London, and works in a club. Here they are holidaying in Sardinia recently.

“Paul just came up to me and said we were going,” said Maggie. “And off we went. He chartered a small jet so that we wouldn’t be spotted by anyone.” Presumably that’s the jet-age version of sweeping a girl off her feet. “Since we got back, we’ve seen quite a bit of each other, although Paul is working very hard on a new L.P.,” Maggie went on. “I think a lot of Paul, but I’m not saying any more. Anyway, I’m too young to even start thinking about marriage. He’s my boy-friend and I like him a lot.” Maggie showed me rings on her fingers and said: “Don’t worry — I bought them all myself. Paul didn’t give me any of them. But you never know.”

The couple met at a party more than three years ago. Maggie, who worked for pop singer and actress Marianne Faithfull, said: “We’d meet when the gang was all together. It’s only fairly recently that we’ve been going out with each other. He’s a very nice boy. I wouldn’t go out with him if he wasn’t nice. We don’t really go out for a wild night, but we enjoy each other’s company.”

A close friend of Paul told me: “I don’t know if there’s anything more to it than a normal boy friend-girl friend relationship.”

A normal jet-set boygirl relationship that is.

From The Sunday People – September 29, 1968

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