Freddie Mercury was a gay man who spoke out about his “lovers” in various interviews. However, for him, the most important love relationship he ever had was with his early girlfriend, Mary Austin. The pair were friends for years, so how did they meet?
Mary Austin and Freddie Mercury were together before it became known he was gay, and they met five years after Mercury moved to England.
According to Smooth Radio, Mercury met Austin in 1969, aged 24, when he had just finished art college.
Austin, who was 19-years-old, was working in a West London fashion boutique, and love soon blossomed, then they soon shared a small flat near Kensington Market, where Mercury and Queen drummer Roger Taylor had a clothes stall.
They lived together for some years, however, a few years into their relationship, Mercury had begun an affair with a man.
In December 1976, he told Austin of his sexuality, ending their romantic relationship, though it did not end their friendship.
While Mercury may have moved out of their flat and into 12 Stafford Terrace, in Kensington, he kept Austin close, leaving a great deal of his wealth to her.
In fact, after he left their apartment, he bought Austin her own place nearby, showing how deep his feelings for her really were.
He was even quoted as saying she was his “only friend” in an interview in 1985, where he said: “All my lovers asked me why they couldn’t replace Mary, but it’s simply impossible.
“The only friend I’ve got is Mary, and I don’t want anybody else. To me, she was my common-law wife.
“To me, it was a marriage. We believe in each other, that’s enough for me.”
Mercury was the godfather of Austin’s oldest son, Richard, and he even wrote songs about her, including Love of My Life.
However, from 1985 until his death, he had been living with his partner, Jim Hutton, and was reportedly wearing the wedding band given to him by Hutton when he died.
After his death Mercury gave his home, recording royalties and most of his wealth to Austin, with the remainder going to his parents and sister.
As well as that, Mercury left money to some other people in his life, including £500,000 to his chef Joe Fanelli, his personal assistant Peter Freestone and to Jim Hutton, while he left £100,000 to his driver Terry Giddings.
He also left the responsibility of burying his remains to Austin, who buried them in an undisclosed location which it is believed is only known by Austin.
Austin was with him a great deal in his final years and is believed to have visited him regularly in his final weeks to look after him, along with Hutton.
On the day of his death, only 24 hours after Queen’s manager Jim Beach had made the public statement which confirmed Mercury’s diagnosis of HIV and AIDS, the singer was surrounded by Austin and his friend Dave Clark when he died.
Hutton has also said he was with Mercury when he died, but Austin made the phonecall to Mercury’s parents and sister.