Freddie Mercury's 'wife', Mary Austin, is poised to receive another substantial payout from the late star, potentially making her one of Britain's wealthiest women.
Mary, who was once engaged to the Queen frontman, is reportedly set to pocket a cool £187.5million as a result of the band striking a record-breaking deal to sell their back catalogue. The band's songs are being sold to Sony for an eye-watering £1 billion.
Upon Freddie's death in 1991, Mary inherited half of his estate and received an additional 25 per cent following the death of his parents. She also receives 18.75 per cent of revenues from Queen Productions, which manages the band's catalogue and also pays out to Roger Taylor, John Deacon and Brian May.
Reports suggest that Mary has minimal contact with the remaining band members, despite all of them being trustees of the Mercury Phoenix Trust, established in Freddie's memory. This latest addition to her wealth could potentially place Mary among the Top 100 richest women in Britain.
Earlier this year, Mary listed Freddie's 'country house in central London' for sale. The Kensington home, where Freddie tragically passed away three decades ago, was purchased by him in 1985, reports the Mirror.
The mansion was listed for £30million, its value having increased sixtyfold. Freddie reportedly fell in love with the property the moment he stepped inside, making an immediate offer of half a million.
Top showbiz news
- Rod Stewart's family issue plea
- Ruth and Eamonn's split takes a twist
- Geri Halliwell snubs Spice Girls reunion
- Molly-Mae splits from Tommy
Mary, who was lovingly referred to as his 'common-law wife' by Freddie, shared: "The house has such love and warmth in every room. It has been a joy to live in and I have many wonderful memories here."
The iconic lead singer of Queen was romantically involved with Mary for six years after being introduced by his bandmate Brian May. She worked in PR for the fashionable label Biba at the time. Their bond remained unbroken even after Freddie revealed his true sexual orientation to her.
Mary emotionally expressed: "When he died I felt we'd had a marriage. We'd lived our vows. We'd done it for better for worse, for richer for poorer, in sickness and in health. You could never have let go of Freddie unless he died - and even then it was difficult."
She stood by Freddie through the agonising last moments of his life, a time during which she recalls he ceased taking medication.
Reflecting on those painful memories, Mary recounted: "The quality of his life had changed so dramatically and he was in more pain every day... He was losing his sight. His body became weaker as he suffered mild fits."
Freddie, although openly gay, maintained a profound affection for Mary, declaring that no man could ever take her place. "All my lovers asked me why they couldn't replace Mary, but it's simply impossible," he famously remarked.
"The only friend I've got is Mary, and I don't want anybody else. To me, she was my common-law wife. To me, it was a marriage. We believe in each other. That's enough for me. I couldn't fall in love with a man the same way as I have with Mary."
Join the Daily Record WhatsApp community!
Get the latest news sent straight to your messages by joining our WhatsApp community today.
You'll receive daily updates on breaking news as well as the top headlines across Scotland.
No one will be able to see who is signed up and no one can send messages except the Daily Record team.
All you have to do is click here if you're on mobile, select 'Join Community' and you're in!
If you're on a desktop, simply scan the QR code above with your phone and click 'Join Community'.
We also treat our community members to special offers, promotions, and adverts from us and our partners. If you don’t like our community, you can check out any time you like.
To leave our community click on the name at the top of your screen and choose 'exit group'.
If you’re curious, you can read our Privacy Notice.
Freddie Mercury once confided about his relationship with Mary Austin, whom he had employed as his assistant. It was Mary who broke the news of Freddie's illness to him and cared for him until his last days.
Explaining why he left his estate to her, Freddie said, "You would have been my wife, and it would have been yours anyway."
Get the latest celebrity gossip and telly news sent straight to your inbox. Sign up to our daily Showbiz newsletter here.
Story Saved
You can find this story in My Bookmarks.Or by navigating to the user icon in the top right.
