Old news? I didn't know this. Well, I knew about the painting, but not that Lucy really existed! I found this in a Dutch newspaper:

LIVERPOOL, thursday
For many years it was said that Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds was an ode from The Beatles to LSD. John Lennon always said that Lucy was a real person. He spoke the truth. The song was about Lucy Richardson. Unfortunelately she died this month at the age of 47 of breast cancer.
Richardson's sister told this to the press this week. As a little girl, Lucy was a schoolmate from Lennon's son Julian. He made a painting of Lucy under a heaven of stars. When John Lennon asked him what it was, he replied: 'It's Lucy In The Sky With Diamonds. Richardson eventually became a succesfull art director in the filmindustry, being responsable for the styling in films as Chocolat, Elizabeth and The Life And Death Of Peter Sellers.

<translated from>
LIVERPOOL, donderdag
Jarenlang heette het dat ’Lucy in the Sky with Diamonds’ een ode van de Beatles was aan de drug lsd. John Lennon hield altijd vol dat Lucy een echte persoon betrof. Hij sprak de waarheid, zo blijkt nu. Het liedje ging over Lucy Richardson, die deze maand op 47-jarige leeftijd aan borstkanker overleed.

De zus van Richardson maakte dit deze week bekend. Als klein meisje was Lucy een schoolvriendinnetje van Lennons zoon Julian. Die maakte ooit een tekening van Lucy onder een hemel vol sterren. Toen vader Lennon hem vroeg wie dat voorstelde, antwoordde Julian: „Lucy in the sky with diamonds.” Richardson werd uiteindelijk een succesvolle art-director in de filmindustrie, waar zij verantwoordelijk was voor de vormgeving in speelfilms als ’Chocolat’, ’Elizabeth’ en ’The Life and Death of Peter Sellers’.

Heh, interesting story, I honestly had never heard that there was a real life Lucy.

Yeah, I knew about Lucy. That's really sad, she was so young...

innit

lucys in the sky 4 real nowwwww

Mmm, coming from the Netherlands as well, I must say that this report is coming from the most unreliable newspaper in the country. On the other hand: most people read it! I'm not saying it isn't true, but there's a remarkable gap between Julian's and Lucy's age. Julian being 42, Lucy 47 when she died. When I was four years old (as Julian was this age when Sgt Pepper was released), I had no schoolmates who where nine. But then again, it might as well be true.

aww thats sad *snif snif*

This report is not correct. The girl in Julian Lennon's class was Lucy O'Donnell. She has been identified for years as the lass who did the famous drawing.

Lucy Richardson (who has died) also went to the same school, but was several years older than Julian, and has never (until now) been mentioned in connexion with the drawing.

Ohhh, you're right Ydoll. Lucy O'Donnell it is.

That should explain the gap between Julian's and Lucy's age. I read this news here and there on the internet as well, tho.

Quoted from pc31

lucys in the sky 4 real nowwwww

Yeah ... Hope she has diamonds too.

But considering what Ydoll said...

Quoted from Ydoll_Gwyn

This report is not correct. The girl in Julian Lennon's class was Lucy O'Donnell. She has been identified for years as the lass who did the famous drawing.

Lucy Richardson (who has died) also went to the same school, but was several years older than Julian, and has never (until now) been mentioned in connexion with the drawing.

aww o.k, that clears things up

This is the drawing Julian took home. Lucy in the sky with diamonds was inspired on this!

Quoted from Bobber

This is the drawing Julian took home. Lucy in the sky with diamonds was inspired on this!

Wow is it really THAT drawing?? I have never seen it, thx Bobber 4 posting it!  

I found it on Julians website, I think. I guess he will know.