Freddy Mercury he died on November 24, 1991, aged only 45. Before his death, the sick singer took care of the division of his estate to protect his loved ones. Frontman Queen he handed over the lion’s share of it into his hands Mary Austinwhom he called “the love of his life” (according to many fans, the hit was dedicated to her “Love of My Life” Queen, although she denies it herself). They were a couple from 1970 to 1976, and in 1973 they even got engaged. The relationship finally broke up when Freddie confessed to his beloved that he was gay.
After the musician’s death, Mary Austin, now 75, became the owner of his residence in central London – Garden Lodge. It also received half of the estate valued at £75 million and priceless memorabilia from Queen’s glory years. Freddie’s former partner, who rarely appears in the media, made an exception for the Guardian on the occasion of the upcoming book premiere “A Life in Lyrics: The Official Creative Legacy of Freddie Mercury, Based on His Unseen Personal Archives and Collections”. The book will be released on the Polish market in November by SQN Publishing House.
Freddie Mercury Working Archive and Mary Austin’s Memories
“It is extremely rare to find such a complete working archive, covering decades of raw materials – musical manuscripts, drafts of lyrics, doodles and drawings, rejected words and verses, and lost songs – related to one of the greatest musicians. This book reveals the creative process of Freddie Mercury and shows the path through which his greatest works took their final shape. It also tells the story of Freddie Bulsar – the real man behind the music – about how he developed his ideas and worked through his emotions on paper.
Mary Austin did not immediately decide to share her own memories in the book. Initially, she primarily wanted the archive to be presented beautifully, sensitively and with due care.
However, as she revisited the materials, she realized that her memories could help put Freddie Mercury’s music in context and better showcase his inspirations and creative genius.
Let us add that Freddie became the godfather of Mary Austin’s son, Richard. When the singer died, she was pregnant with her second son, Jamie. In an interview with the Guardian, the 75-year-old woman explains that she does not want to leave her sons responsible for the collection entrusted to her and Freddie’s greatest secret. For nearly 35 years, Austin has been the confidante of the legendary frontman’s last wish – she is the only one who knows where the singer’s ashes were scattered.
Mary Austin: It was a job he asked me to do. And I did it
“I think if I were Freddie’s parents, his sister, and I wasn’t allowed to know where his ashes were scattered, I would be angry and resentful, but it was the task he asked me to do. And I did it,” she tells the Guardian. Apparently only Freddie’s mother died in 2016. Yer Bulsaraaccepted Mary Austin’s decision.
In 2022, Austin sold some of Freddie’s memorabilia – the auction raised approximately £40 million. From the interview we learn that now he also wants to sell the Garden Lodge residence for PLN 30 million.
“I’m 75 years old, I’m going to die. I looked at all this at home, I looked at my sons and I thought: this will be a burden for you,” says Mary Austin.
After her death, the estate will go to Richard and Jamie. Part of it will be donated to charities, including the foundation of Freddie’s friend Elton John fighting AIDS.
Freddie Mercury: No lover can replace Mary
Freddie Mercury also provided for his then partner in his will Jimm Huttoncook and friend Joe Fanellias well as a personal assistant – Peter Freestone. They received 500,000 pounds each.
The singer repeated that “none of his lovers can replace Mary”, which was also his explanation for leaving her the house and all the heirlooms in his will. “The only friend I had was Mary and I didn’t need anyone else. For me it was like a marriage. We believe in each other and that’s enough for me,” Mercury said in an interview in 1985.
September 5 is the singer’s 80th birthday. This day is always a special date for Queen fans, who on this occasion visit places related to Freddie, such as the mentioned Garden Lodge or Montreaux in Switzerland (there is a monument to the singer and the studio where Queen recorded many albums, including the last one released during Mercury’s lifetime – “Innuendo” and “Made In Heaven”which was completed after his death). This photo of Freddie de Montreaux’s sculpture with Lake Geneva in the background was featured on the cover of “Made In Heaven”.