A forthcoming book centred on Freddie Mercury’s life is poised to send shockwaves through the entertainment world, revealing the existence of his secret daughter. The Queen frontman had a child who was kept well out of the public eye. Only his innermost circle, including his parents and sister, were privy to this information. His bandmates and lifelong love, Mary Austin, were also in the know. The book, ‘Love, Freddie’, uncovers how the child was unintentionally conceived during an affair with the wife of a close friend in 1976. Now 48, his daughter resides in Europe, working in the medical field.
She’s also a mother herself, making Freddie a grandfather posthumously. She has shared her explosive story with esteemed rock biographer Lesley-Ann Jones.
She recounted being raised by a loving family, but always knowing that the legendary musician was her father. Before succumbing to pneumonia caused by Aids in 1991, Freddie bequeathed his daughter 17 volumes of his personal diaries, reports The Mirror.
These journals, kept under wraps for years, have now been handed over to Jones and form the backbone of the book set for release later this year.
It narrates the tale of a child accidentally conceived during a fleeting romance. This revelation will undoubtedly stun Freddie’s fans, as there had never been any hint of a secret offspring.
Freddie had numerous relationships with both men and women, including Mary Austin. They met when she was 19 and he was 24, before his rise to superstardom.
Freddie and Mary’s engagement ended when he came out, yet they remained inseparable, with Mary having two sons from another relationship while still staying close to Freddie until his passing.
In the ’80s, Freddie had a fling with Austrian actress Barbara Valentin and later fathered a child with another woman, a fact shrouded in secrecy.
His daughter, known only as B, penned a heartfelt note in a book stating: “Freddie Mercury was and is my father. We had a very close and loving relationship from the moment I was born and throughout the final 15 years of his life.
“He adored me and was devoted to me. The circumstances of my birth may seem, by most people’s standards, unusual and even outrageous.
“That should come as no surprise. It never detracted from his commitment to love and look after me. He cherished me like a treasured possession,” as revealed by the Daily Mail.
Author Jones, who B contacted three years ago, admitted her initial skepticism but now firmly believes in B’s authenticity, saying, “My instinct was to doubt everything, but I am absolutely sure she is not a fantasist,”.
Jones disclosed that B has never sought financial gain or public acknowledgment, noting that Freddie’s will did not include B, who instead was cared for through a confidential legal agreement to maintain privacy.
Jones revealed to the publication a startling fact: “His only child was conceived accidentally with the wife of one of his closest friends, while his friend was away on an extended business trip. For the Roman Catholic mother, abortion was out of the question,”.
She described Freddie as a “hands-on devoted dad” and declared that he considered fatherhood the “greatest blessing of his life”. Jones detailed their unique arrangement where B would reside with her mother and stepfather, yet Freddie would maintain his own room at their house.
The trio collectively raised B, with Freddie ensuring he spoke to his daughter daily while touring.
B, in a letter featured in the book, expressed her reasons for coming forward: “After more than three decades of lies, speculation and distortion, it is time to let Freddie speak.”
She acknowledged the silence of those in the know, attributing it to their loyalty to Freddie: “Those who have been aware of my existence kept his greatest secret out of loyalty to Freddie. That I choose to reveal myself in my own midlife is my decision and mine alone.”