Mary Austin recounts life with Freddie Mercury

musicSep 1, 202626149

Mary Austin told the Guardian about her decades-long bond with Freddie Mercury, opening one of four silver trunks in 2022 that contained his original handwritten lyrics for Don’t Stop Me Now, Killer Queen, We Are the Champions and Bohemian Rhapsody. Austin said she has lived in Mercury’s house for more than 30 years and owns half of his estate, which she says has grown from an estimated £20, 30 million to around £150 million, though she denied reports that her share rose to 75% after his parents died. Austin described their unlikely relationship: they met in 1970 when Mercury ran a clothes stall in Kensington Market and she was a shop assistant-turned-manager at Biba; he was flamboyant and camp, she was quiet and conservative. She recalled the moment Mercury told her he was attracted to men, quoting him as saying “I think I’m bisexual,” and Austin replying “No, Freddie, I think you’re gay.” Austin is publishing Freddie Mercury: A Life in Lyrics, a book pairing Mercury’s original lyrics and photographs with her observations, and she has kept the record largely private rather than producing a kiss-and-tell account. Her younger son Jamie, born a couple of months after Mercury died in 1991, attended the interview; Austin said Jamie looks a little like Mercury though Mercury is not his father.

Matthew Hodson

@matthewhodson.bsky.social

They’d been living together for four years when Freddie Mercury said he had something to tell her. He said, “I think I’m bisexual.” I said, “No, Freddie, I think you’re gay.” He didn’t argue. Mary Austin lifts the lid on her relationship with Freddie Mercury.

4645d ago

CapriPAN1

Splendid Things Exhibition October Celebrating Freddie

Jane1

That's such a powerful story, thank you for sharing. Freddie was fortunate to have such a trustworthy friend, and he really did right by her and her boys.

Simon Hattenstone

@shattenstone.bsky.social

I found the way Mary Austin talked to me about Freddie Mercury and his impact on her life incredibly moving – and surprising. www.theguardian.com/music/2026/s...

1944d ago

Andy Foster (Heresy Miniatures)

@heresyminiatures.com

Worth a read if you were a fan of Freddie Mercury at all www.theguardian.com/music/2026/s...

844d ago

v buckenham

@v21.bsky.social

surprisingly, this interview turns out to be a quite moving family story www.theguardian.com/music/2026/s...

844d ago

Ian Johnson

@mrianjohnson.bsky.social

A fascinating interview with Freddie Mercury's friend and confidante, Mary Austin www.theguardian.com/music/2026/s... #Queen #FreddieMercury

guardian headline 1 september 2026 saying
Freddie Mercury
Interview
The extraordinary untold story of Freddie Mercury: Mary Austin on her best friend – and love of her life
Simon Hattenstone
He was Queen’s flamboyant frontman. She was his shy girlfriend, dreaming of marriage until they both realised he preferred men. Thirty-five years after his death, in the week he would have turned 80, Mary Austin talks about their unbreakable bond

845d ago

David Bryant

@23daves.bsky.social

This is such a strange and moving interview. My opinion of the subject must have shifted at least three times as I read it - inscrutable people (speaking as someone who has been described that way myself) can sometimes make life difficult for themselves. www.theguardian.com/music/2026/s...

1045d ago

BettyStovesEyes1

Apart from anything else I'm intrigued to know which countries were unworthy to receive a visit from Queen. What an extraordinary thing if true - whole countries!

Lizzie Reed1

I really enjoyed it. Little example of how unreasonable it is to think distant people owe us an explanation of their lives

Andy ❤️⬆️％🇺🇦1

What an amazing read, thanks for posting 🙏

Nicola Miller

@nicmiller.bsky.social

This is an incredibly sad interview. Bravo, Simon Hattenstone. www.theguardian.com/music/2026/s...

1445d ago

Real Gaz on a proper bike: [email protected]

@gazza-d.bsky.social

I don't normally pay much attention or post about "celebrity" floss. This is a really touching and respectful interview with Mary Austin though. The lifelong devotion from her towards Mercury is remarkable. www.theguardian.com/music/2026/s...

1044d ago

Ultimate Classic Rock

@ultclassicrock.bsky.social

She wasn’t flattered by the Queen icon’s comment as he lay dying in 1991: ultimateclassicrock.com/freddy-mercu...

344d ago

PeteMin70

@p70.bsky.social

www.theguardian.com/music/2026/s... An extraordinary interview. Trust me on this, I've read most of them. The most revealing & fascinating article about Mary & Freddie. Thank you, @shattenstone.bsky.social.

945d ago

Tony McCabe1

Absolutely superb. You literally couldn't make that whole story up.

J Kelly1

Hattenstone really has the knack of drawing fascinating interviews out of people. Mind you, in this instance he had plenty to work with as that’s a hell of a story.

Rebecca

@bluebec.bsky.social

The constant erasure of Freddy Mercury's bisexuality is incredibly frustrating. Bisexual men exist and they're not gay, they're actually bisexual

145d ago

Karen J Watson 🇨🇦

@watsonkaren.bsky.social

Beautiful and sad - The extraordinary untold story of Freddie Mercury: Mary Austin on her best friend – and love of her life www.theguardian.com/music/2026/s...

145d ago

Lesley

@basculerascule.bsky.social

Mary Austin has been much-maligned over the years, rather unfairly I think. Interesting and honest interview, and I'm glad she has finally spoken.

345d ago

Eddie Selover

@eddieselover.bsky.social

Very moving story about Freddie Mercury's gf Mary Austin, and his impact on her life. The biphobia and bi-erasure are annoying, but otherwise it's fascinating. www.theguardian.com/music/2026/s...

245d ago

Claudia Montague Wheatley

@claudiamw.bsky.social

If you can read this without swallowing back sobs, you're made of sterner stuff than me. We can never really know the truth about the love between two people. Sometimes the two people barely know it themselves. www.theguardian.com/music/2026/s...

245d ago

1 source

theguardian.comThe extraordinary untold story of Freddie Mercury: Mary Austin on her best friend – and love of her life

Duane 'Keffe D' Davis convicted in Tupac Shakur's 1996 murdermusic Mary Austin recounts life with Freddie Mercurymusic

Mary Austin recounts life with Freddie Mercury

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