Freddie Mercury had 'secret child kept hidden for three decades' as his ex addresses claim
Mary Austin has cast doubt on a recent rumour claiming that Freddie Mercury has a secret daughter.
For decades it was believed that the legendary Queen frontman - who died from complications of AIDs in 1991 - had remained childless throughout his life. This was until a bombshell book was released last year, featuring testimony from an anonymous woman who believed the 'Bohemian Rapsody' singer was her father.
Now Mary Austin, Mercury's ex-fiancée turned best friend and close confidant, has weighed in on the rumours – and she's not convinced.
Speaking to The Guardian ahead of what would've been the singer's 80th birthday, Austin was asked directly what she thought of the story, replying that it was the first she'd heard of such a claim.
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"He never told me he had a daughter," Austin said. "And I can’t imagine him ever keeping that secret... Sorry."
What are the claims about Freddie Mercury's 'secret daughter'?
The claim that Mercury was the father to a secret daughter emerged last year, in Lesley-Ann Jones' book Love, Freddie.
According to the book, the child was conceived accidentally in 1976 after Mercury had an affair with the wife of a close friend.
He remained a close part of his 'secret daughter's' life until his death 15 years later, allegedly leaving her 17 volumes of his personal journals which she has shared with Jones for the first time.
The woman - who is referred to only as 'B' in the book - first approached Jones three years ago.
Her claim is revealed through a handwritten letter in one chapter of the book, which reads: "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."
B, who is now 48, lives in Europe and works in medicine. She is also a mother herself.
Until now, her existence was known only by those who'd been closest to Mercury during his life and kept a closely guarded secret, the book claims.
Her reason for approaching Jones with the journals is also outlined in the book, saying that after 'more than three decades of lies, speculation and distortion' it was time to 'let Freddie speak'.
"That I choose to reveal myself in my own midlife is my decision and mine alone. I have not, at any point, been coerced into doing this," she explained.
"He entrusted his collection of private notebooks to me, his only child and his next of kin, the written record of his private thoughts, memories and feelings about everything he had experienced."
The revelation may come as a surprise to many of Mercury's fans, as the singer is often assumed to have been gay. However the singer had never publicly disclosed his sexuality and is believed to have had relationships with both men and women throughout his life – notably Austin, who inherited a significant portion of Mercury's estate after his death.
At first, Jones had reservations after being approached by B, telling MailOnline that her initial reaction was to 'doubt everything', however she is now 'absolutely sure she is not a fantasist'.
"No one could have faked all this.
"Why would she have worked with me for three-and-a-half years, never demanding anything," Jones added.
Topics: Music, Freddie Mercury, Celebrity News
Brenna Cooper