Mary Austin has played such an essential role in Freddie Mercury’s life, as many Freddie Mercury fans are aware. When he had tough days, like after Freddie’s dreadful diagnosis, she stood by him like a rock.

Mary Austin Hailed From Poor Family

Mary Austin is well-known for being a long-term companion of Freddie Mercury, the world’s most renowned singer. They were there for each other through thick and thin. It all started in 1970.

She was born to deaf working-class parents. She grew up in a low-income family in south London.

Austin’s father worked as a wallpaper trimmer, and her mother was a homemaker. She was born into an impoverished household.

Mary met Mercury in 1969 while working at a London fashion store.

Being a frontman of the World’s most popular band of all time, Queen, Freddie Mercury had a personality like no one else had. 

He was a renowned vocalist who was an empath, introvert, and a little reserved. He was also an accomplished writer and composer.

Freddie’s life became peaceful and he became more content after he met the love of his life, Mary Austin in 1969.

Mary Austin and Freddie Mercury

Mary and Freddie began dating despite all the worries. Soon after they started dating, she relocated to his flat many months later.

The apartment in which they were living was in West Kensington. When the two were together, Freddie had composed many songs for his soulmate.

Mary Austin was 19 and Freddie was only a 24 years old man at that time when they met through Freddie’s bandmate, Brian May. 

Love Songs About Her 

However, Mary influenced the rock star’s personal and professional life to such an extent. She was effective in making a positive impact on his profession.

One of the most famous hit songs Freddie Mercury wrote for his love, Mary Austin was Love of My Life, which broke records and was internationally acclaimed.

Mary Austin has helped Freddie to become the person he was, though he was strictly private and never discussed his personal life, he never failed to show his love and affection for her.

Mary Austin and Freddie Mercury lived together when they were in a relationship. As a result, Mary was well aware of all he was up to.

Both could have never envisioned what the future would bring for them as a couple or as friends with a profound affection for one another at the moment.

Mercury had suppressed his sexual orientation to varying degrees throughout his life, and apparently, it was a complicated aspect in his personal and professional life.

Mercury proposed to Mary Austin in 1973 while dedicating a song ‘Love Of My Life’ to her. But she was not aware of his other side which he always downplayed.

Break Up

Freddie Mercury had a secret affair in the mid of ’70s with David Minns. He worked at Elektra Records as a record executive. 

When Freddie revealed Mary of his sexuality in December 1976, she ended their intimate engagement. 

She then admitted that she had believed he was dating someone else. In reality, Freddie was with David Minns in 1975.

After their split, Freddie Mercury moved out of the flat they were living in. Freddie then bought another house for Mary Austin near his new Kensington residence, 12 Stafford Terrace.

Although, the relationship that Mercury and Austin shared never faded. They remained friends throughout the years, with Mercury referring to her as his “one genuine friend” on several occasions.

“All my lovers asked me why they couldn’t replace Mary, but it’s simply impossible. 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,” Mercury said about Austin in 1985’s interview.

Marriage

Mary was shocked about a revelation of his sexual identity where Mercury thought he was bisexual, but Austin told him that he was gay.

After their break up, Mary got into a relationship with an artist named Piers Cameron and shared two children together, Richard and Jami. Richard, her oldest son, was named after Mercury. 

Later, she was married to Nick Holford and after living a couple of years together, she filed for a divorce with her husband.

In September 1991, Freddie wrote a will leaving half of his considerable assets to Mary and the remainder to his parents and sister. 

 “You would have been my wife, and it would have been yours anyway,” Mercury said in his will, leaving his  $75 million London mansion to Austin.

The majority of his buddies, such as Jim Hutton, his boyfriend, were each handed £500,000 or a mansion.

Mercury’s Disease

In 1985, he had started a new serious relationship with Jim Hutton (1949–2010), an Irish-born hairstylist whom he referred to as his husband.

Mercury highlighted their bond as one of comfort and understanding, saying he “honestly couldn’t ask for anything greater.” 

Hutton was diagnosed with HIV in 1990. He spent the final seven years of his life with Mercury, helped him through his ailment, and was at his side when he passed. 

Mercury wore a gold wedding band till the end of his life, which was presented to him by Hutton in 1986. He was cremated while wearing it. 

Eventually, Hutton moved from London to the Irish cottage he and Mercury had constructed for themselves.

Is Mary Austin Alive?

Mary Austin, who is now 67, is supposed to live a quiet life in her London mansion, where people still pay their tributes on a daily basis.

Despite the fact that they were never married, Austin remarked of Mercury’s death as “I lost somebody who I thought was my eternal love. When he died I felt we’d had a marriage. We’d lived our vows,” Austin said.

“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 added.