A new book by Freddie Mercury's former fiancée, Mary Austin, has ignited fresh controversy surrounding the Queen frontman's legacy, nearly 35 years after his death.
"Freddie Mercury: A Life In Lyrics," published by Austin, features handwritten lyrics and personal observations, alongside photographs from her private collection. While fans may welcome the intimate look into Mercury's creative process, the book has drawn sharp criticism from the family of a woman who claims to be Mercury's secret daughter.
This woman, identified as 'B' and whose story was detailed in the book "Love Freddie" by Lesley Ann Jones, had her claims supported by 13 of Mercury's notebooks. B's husband, Thomas, who has withheld his last name for privacy, expressed his distress over Austin's book. He stated that Austin's book contains "only Austin's thoughts, or those of her ghostwriter, her vague memories and what she thinks today about the situation in the past, 35, 40 or 50 years later." Thomas claims his wife would have been "enraged" by its contents.
Thomas is preparing to release a picture book next year, which he believes will definitively prove his wife's paternity claim. He asserts that numerous photos of Mercury and his wife have been verified by three independent judges.
He further criticized "A Life In Lyrics" for its title, questioning the presence of Mercury's own words. "The book is called A Life In Lyrics, but Austin only talks about herself, over and over again," Thomas said. "Where are the lyrics? Where are Freddie's words?"
Thomas also accused Austin of making "glaring" factual errors. He pointed to Austin's assertion that she met Mercury just before he joined Queen, noting that photographs show her with Mercury and Queen drummer Roger Taylor on December 31, 1969, indicating they knew each other prior to June 1970, when Queen reportedly played their first gig. Austin, who inherited Mercury's home and fortune, has previously expressed skepticism about Mercury's ability to keep a child a secret from her.
The ongoing dispute is expected to intensify next year with the release of Thomas's picture book.