Beatles reunion photo

From Ringos wedding in 1981 From left: George and Olivia, Ringo, Barbara and Barbaras son Gianni and Paul and Linda.

News today is going ’round in media all over the world about a “Beatles reunion photo” taken by photographer Terry O’Neill at Ringo Starr and Barbara Bach’s wedding back in 1981. The news is about the photo being used in a touring exhibition about the changing idea of the family, called “Family Album”. The image, which belongs to the National Portrait Gallery, is currently at Museums Sheffield.

Several photos were taken on this occasion and printed in LIFE magazine’s report from the Starr/Bach wedding, and the colour photo displayed at the top of today’s column is part of the permanent online exhibition of Threetles photos over at Norwegian Wood.

Four months after John Lennon was killed, the rest of the Beatles reunited for Ringo’s wedding.

Looks like George ruined this one! 😀

The Threetles is the name fans use to describe Paul McCartney, George Harrison and Ringo Starr in the context of recordings and public appearances by the then three surviving Beatles members. Most of these appearances were photo sessions in conjunction with the release of The Beatles Anthology in 1995-6.

This photo is thought to be the last Threetles photo. Taken at Ringo’s 60th birthday party in 2000, while George was still with us – teasing Ringo about his refusal to drink alcohol. The photo was taken by Pattie Boyd‘s then boyfriend and was featured in her autobiography, Wonderful Today.