Mary Austin, the former girlfriend and close confidante of Queen frontman Freddie Mercury, has opened up about their relationship and the moment the late singer first spoke to her about his sexuality.
Speaking to the Guardian following the release of her new book, A Life in Lyrics: The Official Creative Legacy of Freddie Mercury, Austin recalled Mercury telling her, “I think I’m bisexual.” She responded that she believed he was gay, saying the conversation brought her a sense of relief because she had begun to feel they were no longer “travelling in the same direction.”
Austin said she had suspected Mercury was gay before he opened up to her. She remembered considering a wedding dress and asking him whether she should buy it, only for Mercury to shake his head. According to Austin, that moment made her realise that their relationship was changing.
Despite the end of their romantic relationship, the two remained extremely close. They continued living together for another 18 months, during which Mercury was open with Austin about his relationships with men.
Austin later became Mercury’s personal assistant, a role she accepted without resentment. She said she understood that if she did not work for Mercury, she would have to work for someone else, adding that the two remained honest with each other professionally.
Recalling their working relationship, Austin said Mercury once told her she was “inefficient” and that she completely agreed with his assessment, highlighting the straightforward relationship they maintained even as their roles changed.
Mercury died on November 24, 1991, at the age of 45, from bronchial pneumonia resulting from AIDS. Austin recalled being beside him during his final moments, holding his hand as he drifted in and out of consciousness.
She said Mercury eventually woke and called her “My old faithful,” a remark that left her feeling more amused than flattered. Despite their romantic relationship ending years earlier, Austin remained one of the most important people in Mercury’s life until his death.
