Anaya Nolan
Freddie Mercury, the British singer and songwriter, achieved global fame as the lead vocalist and pianist of the rock band Queen. Mercury never married, but he did refer to his best friend and former fiancée, Mary Austin, as his common-law wife. Mercury and Austin had a deep love for each other and remained close until his death in 1991, with Austin by his side. In this paragraph, we will explore the unique relationship between Freddie Mercury and Mary Austin, who was the inspiration behind Queen's song Love of My Life.
| Characteristics | Values |
|---|---|
| Name of common-law wife | Mary Austin |
| Relationship status | Dated for 7 years, engaged, but never married |
| Freddie Mercury's quote about Mary Austin | "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." |
| Freddie Mercury's will | Left half of his wealth to Mary Austin |
| Mary Austin's current residence | Lives in Freddie Mercury's former mansion in Kensington |
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What You'll Learn
Freddie Mercury and Mary Austin's first meeting
Mary was initially hesitant about Freddie, who was described as "larger-than-life". However, they soon became a couple and moved into a shared apartment on Holland Road in London. Mary described Freddie as a "wild-looking artistic musician" and "very confident", whereas she considered herself to be less confident. She said, "He was like no one I had met before. We grew together. I liked him and it went on from there."
Freddie and Mary's relationship spanned over three decades, and although they eventually split up as romantic partners, they remained close friends. Freddie even said he would love her "until I draw my last breath". They were so close that Freddie left her half of his £75 million estate, including a £25 million mansion in Kensington, where he died in 1991.
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Their engagement
Freddie Mercury and Mary Austin's relationship is one that has been described as a "beautiful relationship" and a "deep love for each other". Mercury and Austin first met in 1969, five years after Mercury moved to England. At the time, Mercury was 24 and had just finished art college, while Austin was 19 and working in a West London fashion boutique. They soon moved in together, sharing a small flat near Kensington Market, where Mercury had a clothes stall with Queen drummer Roger Taylor.
In 1973, four years after they first met, Mercury asked Austin to marry him. On Christmas Day, Mercury gave Austin a big box, inside which was another box, and so on. Eventually, Austin found a lovely jade ring inside the last small box. Not understanding what was happening, Austin asked Mercury on which hand she should place the ring. He replied, "The left," and asked her to marry him. "I was shocked. It just so wasn’t what I was expecting. I just whispered, 'Yes. I will,'" Austin recalled.
Mercury also dedicated the song "Love of My Life" to Austin, declaring his love for her to the world. However, their relationship began to disintegrate as Mercury's career took off. In 1975, Mercury broke off their engagement and confessed to Austin that he was bisexual, although she believed he was gay. Despite the end of their romantic relationship, Mercury and Austin remained very close friends, with Mercury referring to Austin as his "'common-law wife'" and saying, "To me, it was a marriage."
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Freddie Mercury's bisexuality
Freddie Mercury, the Queen frontman, was involved with both men and women but never publicly confirmed his sexuality. Mercury himself used the word bisexual to describe his sexual orientation. Mercury's former fiancée, Mary Austin, recalled that Mercury came out to her as bisexual in 1976, after several years of dating. Mercury and Austin's romantic relationship ended, but they remained close friends. Mercury also had relationships with other women, including Rosemary Pearson and Barbara Valentin. Mercury's bandmate Brian May, who shared hotel rooms with Mercury, observed that Mercury had relationships with both men and women. May told the Sunday Times in 2017 that "it was fairly obvious when the visitors to Freddie’s dressing room started to change from hot chicks to hot men."
Mercury's use of androgynous fashion and gender-bending outfits on stage has been interpreted as a reflection of his sexual fluidity. His song "Bohemian Rhapsody" has been interpreted as a coming-out song, with lyrics such as "Mama, just killed a man" potentially referencing Mercury's departure from heterosexuality. Mercury's decision not to publicly confirm his sexuality may have been influenced by the social climate of his time. During the late 1970s and early 1980s, HIV/AIDS was spreading through New York City's gay community, and Mercury frequented these scenes. Mercury contracted HIV and passed away in 1991 from AIDS-related complications.
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Mary Austin's life after Freddie Mercury
Mary Austin, Freddie Mercury's former fiancée, remained his closest friend until his death in 1991. Mercury once 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."
Austin and Mercury met in 1969, and soon after, they shared a small flat near Kensington Market, where Mercury had a clothes stall with Queen drummer Roger Taylor. Mercury admitted to feeling relieved after he told Austin about his sexuality. The pair called off their engagement, and Austin moved out, but Mercury bought her an apartment nearby.
Austin went on to have two children with painter Piers Cameron, whom she chose not to marry. She was later briefly married to businessman Nick Holford, which ended in divorce.
In 2023, Austin decided to sell a large amount of Mercury's items at a high-profile auction. She still lives in the West London mansion where Mercury died. She has maintained a private life and has two adult sons who also keep their lives out of the public eye.
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Freddie Mercury's other relationships
Freddie Mercury had several relationships throughout his life, the most notable being with Mary Austin, whom he called his "common-law wife". Mercury first met Austin in 1969, when he was 24 years old and she was 19. They shared a flat near Kensington Market, where Mercury had a clothes stall with Queen drummer Roger Taylor. After dating for a few years, they got engaged in 1973. However, Mercury broke off the engagement three years later, after coming out to Austin as bisexual. Despite the end of their romantic relationship, Mercury and Austin remained incredibly close, with Mercury referring to her as his "only true friend". In a 1985 interview, 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." After Mercury's death in 1991, he left Austin the majority of his fortune, as well as his mansion in Kensington and all his possessions.
Following his relationship with Austin, Mercury had a seven-year relationship with Irishman Jim Hutton, whom he met in a gay bar in London in the 1980s. Despite their eventual settlement into a long-term relationship, it was not love at first sight. Hutton recalled that he initially rejected Mercury's offer to buy him a drink, as he did not recognize the superstar. It was only a year and a half later, when they saw each other again at a nightclub, that they truly connected. Their relationship lasted until Mercury's death in 1991.
In the mid-1970s, Mercury also had an affair with David Minns, an American record executive at Elektra Records. Mercury had several other relationships with men, including with some of his newfound friends from the London gay scene, with whom he hosted wild parties after his breakup with Austin.
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Frequently asked questions
Yes, Freddie Mercury considered Mary Austin his common-law wife.
Mary Austin was Freddie Mercury's closest friend and former fiancée.
No, they did not get legally married. Freddie Mercury and Mary Austin ended their romantic relationship but remained close friends.
Yes, Freddie Mercury left Mary Austin half of his £75 million estate, including his London mansion.
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