Mary Austin
Mary Austin is very much known for being the only wife of late star singer/songwriter, Freddie Mercury –front man of legendry rock band, Queen.
Mary Austin and the British star were married only for six-years in the 70’s but remained close until his sad passing. The first film about the singer’s incredible life will shine a new light into his quiet relationship with Mary Austin.
The British singer was born Farrokh Bulsara on September 5, 1946; in Stone Town, Tanzania. He rose to fame as the lead vocalist of Queen writing several hits for the band including “Bohemian Rhapsody”, “Killer Queen”, “Somebody to Love”, “Don’t Stop Me Now”, “Crazy Little Thing Called Love”, and “We Are the Champions” –and led a solo career while performing with the band.
Mercury has been concisely voted one of the greatest singers in the history of music. He was posthumously inducted to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, the Songwriters Hall of Fame and the UK Music Hall of Fame.
During the time that Mercury was still struggling with his sexual identity, he chose to marry Mary Austin in 1970. The two had met through band mate, Brian May.
Their union helped in keeping Freddie’s sex symbol credibility with his female fans. However, by mid-70’s he revealed to Austin, his then partner, about a homosexual affair he had begun, and the two eventually decided to separate in 1976.
Despite their definite separation, Austin was more of a friend to Freddie and the two remained close until his tragic death due to complications from AIDS on November 24, 1991. The two were so tight that Mary Austin was one of the few people who was there the day he died.
Mary Austin was born in 1951 and to this day, she was born to a wallpaper trimmer father and mother who was a domestic servant. When she and Freddie met in 1969, she had been working at a Fashion Boutique in West London. Mary and Freddie became engaged in 1973, however they never made it to the altar as some may think otherwise.
To this day she still lives in the London mansion where Mercury died. Though the couple remained very private about their relationship, one thing is for sure, Freddie’s love and appreciation for Austin was very real. So much, that left her half of his £75million estate, including the cherished £25million Georgian mansion in Kensington. In Freddie’s own words “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”
Mary who remained loyal to him, moved out of their mansion to a nearby flat and worked for his management company.
Since then, she’s been romantically associated with two other men. From 1990 until 1993 she was in a relationship with painter Piers Cameron. The couple produced two children together, Jamie and Richard.
In 1998 she became a married woman, this time to Nicholas Holford. The two however, divorced in 2002.
