In December 1976, Mercury sat Mary down and revealed his sexuality. She has subsequently revealed that it came as no surprise and she had to tell Freddie to accept he was gay not bisexual. Understandably, this ended their romantic relationship and yet their bond only grew stronger. It is a remarkable testament to friendship, total trust and love. Even ten years later, he was still talking about how she was his “only friend”, the only person in whom he had complete faith.
While he was in Germany recording his solo album Mr Bad Guy, Freddie gave a series of revealing interviews.
In one he revealed just how unique and Mary was in his life. It is a testament to their enduring love, but also a melancholy reflection on how few people ever truly got close to a man loved by millions.
Freddie said: “A real true friend for me has to be very strong and put up with me and I think Mary has been through just about everything
“She has the depths and the quality to adapt to me and talk to me about very serious things. She’s just about the only person I can think about. Otherwise, I just fend for myself. Otherwise, I just cross my hurdles in my own way.”
It is noteworthy that Freddie does not refer to his Queen bandmates. As the movie Bohemian Rhapsody showed, they were famously on a strained hiatus after Freddie left to pursue his solo career. But the impression remains that they were never allowed all the way in, throughout their decades of friendship and working closely together.
This seems a reflection of how intensely private and guarded Freddie was, rather than any commentary on his relationship with the band, since he does not mention his family, either.
The same year Freddie explained his love for Mary: “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.”
In 1985 Freddie began his relationship with Jim Hutton, which would last until his death and also bring the star real happiness. But it was Mary to whom he left his house, his fortune and the legacy of his music and future earnings.
After Freddie’s death, Mary talked movingly about her love for him.
She said: “It took a long while for me to really fall in love with this man but once there I could never turn away from him. His pain became my pain his joy became my joy. I was able to look inside another human being and what I saw was a treasure trove of beauty.”
BOHEMIAN RHAPSODY IS OUT NOW
WATCH FREDDIE TALK ABOUT MARY HERE (FROM 13.42)
