Was Mary Austin Freddie Mercury’s wife? The legendary Queen singer’s relationships were always in the media spotlight. However, the one that truly mattered probably received the least attention of them all.
“The only friend I’ve got is Mary, and I don’t want anybody else,” Freddie Mercury once said about the ‘love of his life,’ Mary Austin. But was Freddie Mercury married to Mary? Mary was 19 when she first met Freddie in the early 1970s. She was working as a PR at a hip and trendy fashion shop in Kensington, West London, when she first laid eyes on the “wild-looking artistic musician.” In an interview with the Daily Mail in 2013, she recalled: “He was like no one I had met before. He was very confident – something I have never been. We grew together. I liked him, and it went on from there.”
The pair began dating and formed a bond that would stay with Freddie throughout his life. While their romantic relationship ended as Freddie came to terms with his sexuality, their friendship went from strength to strength. Mary never became Freddie Mercury’s wife, but their bond remained strong.
Mary, in fact, went on to get married and had two children. However, she was there for Freddie when his health began to decline. He left her with much of his fortune after his passing. “If things had been different, you would have been my wife, and this would have been yours anyway,” he wrote in his will.
The Freddie Mercury - Mary love story was unique and touched the hearts of many. These 25 photos prove that Mary was the real queen of Freddie Mercury’s world.
All images courtesy: vintag.es
Why did Freddie Mercury’s wife leave him?
Freddie Mercury and Mary were never married. They did, however, date briefly. Their relationship ended as Freddie came to terms with his sexuality and his need for self-discovery.
Mary Austin and Freddie Mercury’s relationship was unique; he often called her his “common-law wife.”
Despite the end of their romantic involvement, Mercury and Austin continued to share a deep emotional bond and friendship that lasted throughout Mercury’s life. In his will, Freddie Mercury left Mary Austin the majority of his estate, including his home.
Why Did Freddie Love Mary so Much?
Mary was Freddie’s rock and the only source of stability in his tumultuous life.
Freddie, whose real name was Farrokh Bulsara, had a meteoric rise to fame with his music band, Queen. While his life was filled with the chaos and excesses of the rock ‘n’ roll world, Mary Austin’s presence gave him a sense of normalcy amid the whirlwind of fame and fortune.
He dedicated the song “Love of My Life” to her and even proposed to her with a ring in 1973.
Their story is a unique and touching example of how love and friendship can evolve and adapt over time. While their romantic relationship transformed, the profound connection between Freddie Mercury and Mary Austin remained constant.
Was Freddie Mercury Gay?
Freddie’s sexuality was a subject of public speculation due to his flamboyant stage persona and private nature. People often asked the question – was Freddie Mercury gay? He never publically identified as gay. However, in 1991, after his passing, Mercury’s close friend, Jim Hutton, confirmed that he had privately indeed identified as gay.
In his lifetime, Mercury chose not to disclose his sexuality publicly, as there was less societal acceptance and understanding of LGBTQ+ individuals back then. He produced some of the best songs ever and didn’t want any bad press spoiling Queen’s image.
He would always deflect questions about his sexuality. Once, Freddie was asked point blank if he was gay. He replied, “As a daffodil, dear!”
He did, however, confirm publicly that he was battling HIV and helped raise awareness about the issue.
Where’s Mary Austin now?
The Mary Austin-Freddie Mercury love saga came to an end in 1991 after the singer’s passing. Mary is believed to have been at Freddie’s bedside holding his hand when he passed away at the age of 45. She even carried out his dying wish to secretly scatter his ashes. There have been several rumors about where she scattered the ashes. However, she has never revealed the location.
She chose not to marry painter Piers Cameron, with whom she had two children. She married businessman Nick Holford in 1998 but split up in 2002.
So, where’s Mary Austin now? The 72-year-old lives a private life in London. Freddie bequeathed half of his staggering £75 million estate to her. This includes the £25 million mansion in Kensington, where she currently stays.
She recently made the emotional decision to remove tributes to Freddie from the mansion. She also decided to auction Freddie’s 1,400 personal items. Items that went under the hammer included his grand piano, a silver mustache comb, his iconic sunglasses, and hand-written lyrics of Bohemian Rhapsody. The auction fetched a whopping $50.4 million.
Did you enjoy the movie Bohemian Rhapsody? Do you think actors Rami Malek and Lucy Boynton portrayed Freddie Mercury and Mary Austin well? Join the discussion in the comments below!