Authors

When Mary Austin first met Freddie Mercury in 1970, it marked the beginning of an enduring friendship that would shape the rest of each of their lives. She, aged 19, worked at the Biba store in Kensington, while he, aged 24, ran a stall selling his artworks in Kensington Market. They would become engaged four years later, on Christmas Day 1973, the same year that Queen released their debut album. After Mary and Freddie’s relationship came to an end in the mid 1970s they would remain a central presence in each others’ worlds for the next two decades. When Freddie passed away in 1991, he left his home, Garden Lodge, and his possessions to Mary, who has treasured and celebrated the memory of her beloved friend ever since. Mary’s forthcoming book, FREDDIE MERCURY: A Life In Lyrics, the official creative legacy of Freddie Mercury based on his unseen personal archives and collection, will be published by HarperCollins, both in the US and UK, in September 2026.