Freddie Mercury's 'secret daughter' says small detail in will proves he is her father

A fresh scandal has emerged surrounding Queen's lead singer, Freddie Mercury, after a woman claiming to be his secret daughter published a memoir detailing their supposed relationship. She claimed that the relationship is backed up by handwritten diaries and a crucial clause in her alleged father's will.

The woman, known only as B, is the author of Love, Freddie. The book alleges that Mercury fathered her in 1977 following a fleeting affair with the wife of a close friend, and remained part of her life until his death in 1991. At the heart of the claims is a revised will left by Mercury's father, Bomi Bulsara, who passed away in 2003. Public probate records reveal that Bulsara explicitly excluded "illegitimate" children from inheriting anything from the singer - an unusual move that legal experts suggest would only be necessary after the Family Law Reform Act 1987, which granted illegitimate children equal inheritance rights.

This follows Freddie's alleged "secret daughter" breaking her silence with a chilling confession ahead of her revealing book. "Why would that clause be added if I did not exist, and if there were no illegitimate child in the family?" B queried in an interview with the Daily Mail.

The will, signed in 2001 when Bomi was 93, includes a provision stating that only "legitimate or legitimated and adopted" children are recognised. This clause has ignited speculation that it may have been written to exclude B from Mercury's estate.

While the claim has sparked widespread public interest, those closest to Mercury have mostly remained silent. His sister, Kashmira, and his Queen bandmates have been tight-lipped on the matter.

Anita Dobson, actress and wife of guitarist Brian May, acknowledged long-standing rumours but suggested: "The person to ask would be his sister, Kashmira. But even then, I think, sometimes if people keep secrets, they do really keep those secrets."

Mary Austin, Mercury's former fiancée and main beneficiary of his estate, has vehemently denied the claim. In an interview with The Sunday Times, she stated: "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 also cast doubt on the authenticity of the diaries, asserting: "At no point in the period did I see Freddie write a diary." Austin maintains that she and Mercury were cohabiting on June 20, 1976, the date the first diary entry is alleged to have been written, and continued to live together until 1978.

However, journalist and author Lesley-Ann Jones, who collaborated closely with B on the book, insists the dates align. "B revealed the fact to me in her very first email, December 21, 2021... This was long before Mary Austin publicly claimed she was still living with Freddie in 1976."

Jones states that B grew up in a stable London household just minutes from Garden Lodge, Mercury's Kensington residence. She alleges that Mercury visited frequently, with his assistant and close friend Joe Fannelli facilitating these clandestine meetings.

Fannelli passed away from AIDS in 1993, 18 months after Mercury. Jones claims B's existence was known only to a handful of people, saying: "Mary and some others say that they don't believe Freddie could have fathered a child, visited her and managed the logistics. But she was simply right under their noses for much of the time. Fannelli and the child's nanny did all the facilitating."

The book reveals that Mercury handed B 17 handwritten journals in mid-1991, mere months before his passing. She finally encountered him three weeks prior to his death from AIDS-related complications in November that year.

The memoir also features a letter from B declaring: "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... He cherished me like a treasured possession."

The publication further claims that renowned photographer Mick Rock captured secret portraits of Mercury and B in a New York hotel suite during a family encounter. Rock, who passed away in 2021, allegedly verified the account to Jones, though his estate has remained silent on requests for comment.

Jones insists that the narrative, whilst extraordinary, withstands examination. He said: "Freddie's schedule, his travel, the people he trusted - everything aligns. B was part of his life, even if very few knew it at the time."

Freddie passed away at the age of 45 back in 1991, with his cause of death being from bronchial pneumonia resulting from AIDS.