At a Glance
- A woman identified only as “B,” described in a 2025 biography as Freddie Mercury’s secret daughter, has died of chordoma, a rare spinal cancer, at age 48
- Author Lesley-Ann Jones claims Mercury fathered “B” in 1976 with the wife of a close friend and entrusted private diaries to her
- Mary Austin, Mercury’s former fiancée, told The Times she never knew of any child
- Why it matters: The claim reignites debate over the Queen frontman’s closely guarded private life
The woman alleged in a recent biography to be Freddie Mercury’s secret daughter has died, according to a Jan. 15 report in the Daily Mail.
The outlet says the woman, referred to only as “B” and nicknamed “Bibi” by Mercury, passed away peacefully after a lengthy fight with chordoma, leaving two young sons. Her widower, Thomas, told the outlet her ashes were scattered over the Alps and that “B is now with her beloved and loving father in the world of thoughts.”
Book Claimed Mercury Fathered a Daughter in 1976
Author Lesley-Ann Jones first presented the claim in her September 2025 biography Love, Freddie: Freddie Mercury’s Secret Life and Love, which drew on what Jones described as Mercury’s private notebooks.
Key points from the book:
- Mercury allegedly had a brief relationship with the wife of a close friend in 1976
- The woman gave birth to a daughter, “B,” who was raised by her mother and stepfather
- Mercury reportedly kept rooms in each of the family’s homes and visited often
- Only Mercury’s parents, sister, Queen bandmates, and Mary Austin supposedly knew
Jones told the Daily Mail that “B,” a medical professional, contacted her after reading Jones’s 2021 Mercury biography. The two then worked for four years to complete Love, Freddie while “B” endured repeated cancer treatments.
Family May Release Photos, Author Says
Jones said “B” initially refused to reveal her identity to protect her patients. Now that she has died, relatives are weighing whether to publish pictures of her alone and alongside Mercury, according to the Daily Mail.
Jones also claims the family moved frequently during “B’s” childhood to secure cutting-edge care for chordoma, which first appeared when she was very young and ultimately proved fatal.
Mary Austin Denies Knowledge of Any Child
Mary Austin, long described as Mercury’s closest confidante, dismissed the assertion in an August 2025 interview with The Times U.K.
“The truth is that I am simply not the guardian of such a secret,” Austin said. “I’ve never known of any child, or of any diaries. If Freddie had indeed had a child without me knowing anything about it, that would be astonishing to me.”
Publisher Seeks Comment
News Of Losangeles has reached out to Jones for additional comment but has not yet received a response.
Key Takeaways
- The only sources for the “secret daughter” claim are Jones’s biography and the Daily Mail interviews; no birth certificate, DNA test, or corroborating family statement has been produced
- Austin’s denial underscores how tightly Mercury’s inner circle controlled information both during and after his lifetime
- With “B’s” death, any definitive proof would now rest with surviving relatives and the alleged diaries referenced in the book
