Biographer Lesley Ann Jones’ new tell-all, Love, Freddie: Freddie Mercury's Secret Life and Love, is slated to hit the shelves on September 5 and will be paired with a new Channel 5 documentary as the controversy around it continues to swirl.
The book centers on a secret love child known only as B, whom the magnetic British musician allegedly fathered through a fling with a close friend’s wife.
Highlights
- New book and documentary allege Mercury fathered a secret love child known only as “B.”
- Queen insiders and Mary Austin publicly question the claim’s credibility.
- “B” says she stayed silent for decades to protect her family life and mourn privately.
Excerpts from the biography have drawn doubt from his band Queen’s lead guitarist Brian May, his former fiancée and lifetime friend Mary Austin, and various insiders who claim to have known the late singer well.
Freddie Mercury’s longtime personal assistant has since weighed in to cast doubt on the book
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“I don’t understand why he didn’t leave his only child something in his will,” the Daily Mail, privy to a WhatsApp group with members of Mercury’s inner circle, reported a former associate saying.
“I’m not saying it’s a crock, but as it’s the [slur against Jones] writing yet another book about a [deceased] person, the facts are not looking good at the moment.”
Peter Freestone, who served the late singer for over a decade, also weighed in, saying:
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“I never saw any diaries. I never saw any child. I’m not saying they don’t exist... It was a surprise to me when I heard. Very much,” the 70-year-old said diplomatically.
Brian May’s wife, Anita Dobson, has since changed her stance ever so subtly
The Daily Mail went on to name lead guitarist, Brian May, and his actress wife, Anita Dobson, as the “real inner circle,” claiming that as the book’s release date draws near, the two have kept their opinions to themselves–but not without seeing a veiled admission in an earlier statement by Dobson.
Image credits: Elektra Records
“I think there have always been rumors. The person to ask would be his sister, Kashmira. But even then, I think, sometimes if people keep secrets, they do really keep those secrets,” the outlet quoted her saying.
“Which sounds like a hint she thinks the story is right,” it observed.
But as reported by Bored Panda previously, Dobson was not always so open to the idea.
Another woman expected to face off is the so-named love of Freddie Mercury’s life, Mary Austin
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“I went ‘what?’ I thought ‘no’? And I said to Brian: ‘Do you know about this?’ And he said: ‘Do you believe this?’” recalled her initial reaction to the claims.
“If he does have one, where is she – step forward. If she exists. Maybe it is just more fake news,” she told an outlet.
Another woman who knew Mercury, and rather intimately at that, is Mary Austin, who has long been seen as his love and inherited most of his fortune.
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According to the UK Express, she is slated to have a sitdown with a media outlet on August 9—an opportunity which she is expected to use to slam Jones and B’s claims.
Freddie Mercury’s mystery child has since lashed out at Mary Austin
B, Mercury’s mystery daughter, has become aware of Austin’s stance and communicated her feelings with the Daily Mail, saying:
“I am devastated by Mary Austin's alleged response. For 34 years, the truth of Freddie's life has been distorted, twisted and rewritten, but she said nothing - with the exception of her comment about the movie Bohemian Rhapsody, which she called ‘artistic licence’.”
Image credits: Queen Official
“Here, she has not yet read the book, yet she apparently makes this statement. I don't understand why,” said the 48-year-old who lives and works in Europe as a medical professional.
B complained about how difficult life was for her as her father’s secret love-child
The Daily Mail on August 8 reported on a statement by the anonymous woman defending herself for not coming forward earlier.
“For 30 years I had to build my life and family without him and accept that he wouldn't be there to share the happy moments with us.
Image credits: Michael Putland/Getty
“For 30 years, while the rest of the world was reinterpreting Mercury’s life, his music and all that he had been, I needed to have my Dad just for me and my family. How could I have spoken before?” she reasoned.
“I cried and mourned my Dad, while fans all around the world mourned Freddie. When you are 15 years old, it's not easy.”
Biographer, Lesley Ann Jones, claims she believes B because she never asked for money
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Despite being subjected to layers of public wrath, Jones, who is now in Switzerland making a documentary to accompany her biography, is sticking by her guns.
She claims she wholeheartedly believes B because–as The Independent reported–“she (B) has not asked for money or ‘recognition’.”
The public keeps asking the question "Why now?"
