Queen guitarist Brian May has distanced himself from claims that Freddie Mercury had a secret daughter, calling the rumour 'fake news' via his wife Anita Dobson. The allegations, which have divided fans and the late singer's inner circle, suggest Mercury fathered a child with a close friend's wife in 1976.
The woman, known only as B, is said to be 48 years old and working as a medical professional in Europe. She claims Mercury entrusted her with 17 journals covering the final years of his life, which author Lesley-Ann Jones describes as 'the closest thing to a Freddie Mercury autobiography that the world will ever know'. Jones's forthcoming book, Love, Freddie, explores these claims.
Mary Austin, Mercury's close friend and beneficiary of half his estate, expressed doubt. 'Freddie had a glorious openness, and I cannot imagine he would have wanted to, or been able to, keep such a joyful event a secret,' she told the Sunday Times. Austin inherited about half of Mercury's estimated £9m estate after his death from bronchial pneumonia in 1991.
Jones defended the claims, citing a DNA test and the lack of denial from Queen's surviving members. 'The real inner circle – the other members of Queen and Freddie's sister – would have denied this if they could,' she said. 'They cannot because, as Freddie's daughter says, they know that it is true.' The woman referred to as B said she was 'devastated' by Austin's comments.
