David Hudson September 3, 2026 (queerty.com)

Mary Austin, Freddie Mercury’s former girlfriend and lifelong close friend, has a new book out. A Life in Lyrics: The Official Creative Legacy of Freddie Mercury, Based on His Unseen Personal Archives and Collections, is available now. It includes lyric sheets, drawings and other memorabilia that the Queen frontman bequeathed to Austin.

Austin rarely talks to the press. However, to promote the book, she sat down for a long and candid interview this week with the Guardian.

Austin met Mercury in 1970. She worked at the influential and hip clothing store Biba and was a friend of Brian May. At the time, Mercury ran a clothing stall in London’s Kensington Market.

One day, Austin found herself at May’s student house. He, Roger Taylor and Mercury were present, discussing potential names for their band. May wanted Build Your Own Boat. Mercury suggested Queen.

It was the first time Austin met Mercury, and she was struck by his confidence and bravado, which she “found a bit intimidating.”

“Different from the others”

Soon after, she and Mercury began a relationship. She quickly discovered the bravado was something of a front to hide his true self. Within four months, in 1971, Mercury suggested they move in together.

Austin believes they bonded over sharing difficult childhoods. As for his sexuality, she says she long suspected that Mercury was gay. She’d only had two previous relationships, but Mercury was unique.

“He was different from the others. He was more creative. He was just more interesting. He was always thinking about going to see things. Not just bands. Like he’d go to see the film Cabaret over and over again. I loved listening to him explain why he enjoyed it so much. I enjoyed the journey around his mind. It was like reading a book.”

Despite her suspicions, they became engaged.

Then Queen began to become successful, and she noticed Mercury’s confidence became more real. She found herself slipping more into the role of his PA and fixer rather than girlfriend.

After four years, Mercury told Austin he had something to tell her.

“‘I think I’m bisexual.’ I said, ‘No, Freddie, I think you’re gay.’”

He did not argue or disagree.

Austin now says that rather than feel upset, it came as a relief. She already felt that their romantic relationship was not going any further.

“It was a huge relief, because I wasn’t sure whether we were travelling in the same direction any more,” says Austin. “Some time earlier I saw a dress and thought, that would be a really nice wedding dress. I asked Freddie, is it worth me buying it, and he looked at me and shook his head. So I knew from there on …”

“We became better friends and it became a better relationship.”

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Mercury’s death and will

They continued to live together for another 18 months. Austin remained working as his PA, traveled the world with him, and always lived close to him. She remained by his side while he fell ill with AIDS in the late 1980s. He died on November 24, 1991, aged 45. Born September 5, 1946, Mercury would have turned 80 this week.

Austin and Mercury’s relationship was close but complicated. She says now that he was the love of her life.

When he died, Mercury left his London home to Austin, along with trunkloads of memorabilia and other possessions. He left £500,000 to his boyfriend, Jim Hutton, who later said he was given three months to move out of Mercury’s house. Austin says that was down to the executors of the will, not her.

Mercury also instructed Austin to scatter his ashes and not reveal where. She followed his instructions to the letter, even declining to inform Mercury’s parents and sister.

“I think if I was Freddie’s parents, Freddie’s sister, and I wasn’t allowed to know where his ashes have been scattered, I would be upset and offended,” she said. “But that’s the job he asked me to do. And I did it. I kept saying to them, ‘I’m really, really sorry – I can’t tell you.’”

Mercury’s parents have now died. Austin continues to have a “delicate” relationship with Mercury’s sister, Kashmira, who claims she spent £3million of her own money buying back family mementoes when Austin sold much of her vast collection of Mercury’s belongings via auction in 2023.

Not telling her sons about relationship with Mercury

Austin has two sons. One was born a couple of years before Mercury’s death, and she was pregnant with the second when he died.

Surprisingly, she says she doesn’t think her sons knew anything about her relationship with Mercury until they were in their 20s. This is despite growing up in his former home, which was full of his possessions and had photos of him on the piano. She only decided to open up when she decided to declutter and sort out the 1,500 items to sell at auction.

Interviewer Simon Hattenstone expresses surprise at this revelation. He asks her younger son, Jamie, who accompanied his mother to the interview, if it’s true.

Jamie says he did actually know about his mother’s relationship with Mercury, despite her never mentioning it. Other people told him. However, he and his brother recognized that their mother found it upsetting to talk about.

“When you see that kind of discomfort and pain, it’s not something you want to talk about. So we learned to be respectful of that.”

A Life in Lyrics: The Official Creative Legacy of Freddie Mercury, Based on His Unseen Personal Archives and Collections, is out now via HarperCollins.

David Hudson is a contributing editor to Queerty who specializes in film, music, health, travel and queer culture. Connect with him on X and Bluesky and DM him with potential story ideas.