Freddie Mercury ’s sanctuary in London, wherever he lived the final decade of his everyday living, is on sale for the initial time in approximately 50 % a century — minus his “exquisite muddle.”
Back garden Lodge, as the neo-Georgian brick residence in the posh Kensington neighborhood is regarded, is for sale by Knight Frank for offers exceeding 30 million lbs . ($38 million). It is not publicly outlined.
Mercury, the frontman for Queen, acquired the dwelling in 1980 — the calendar year the band’s album “The Game,” with hits “Another One particular Bites the Dust” and “Crazy Small Matter Identified as Enjoy,” topped the charts. He reportedly paid out hard cash for the residence, which was mentioned for additional than 500,000 kilos, according to “Mercury: An Personal Biography of Freddie Mercury.”
“I observed the home, fell in enjoy with it, and in a fifty percent an hour it was mine,” Mercury boasted, according to the e-book.
Mercury experienced substantial renovations completed to the household and loaded it with valuable artwork, which includes items by Picasso, Dalí and Matisse.
“I like to be surrounded by splendid issues,” Mercury claimed. “I want to direct the Victorian life, surrounded by exquisite clutter.”
Mercury died in the residence in 1991 of AIDS-connected pneumonia at 45.
He left the 8-bed room villa and all his belongings to his close close friend and ex-girlfriend, Mary Austin, who lived there. She has been raking in millions selling his selection of phase costumes, high-quality art and song lyrics over the previous 12 months. The house was place up for sale late very last thirty day period.
“This dwelling has been the most glorious memory box, mainly because it has these types of enjoy and warmth in just about every home,” Austin stated in a assertion. “It has been a joy to are living in and I have lots of great memories listed here. Now that it is vacant, I’m transported back again to the 1st time we seen it. At any time because Freddie and I stepped as a result of the fabled environmentally friendly doorway, it has been a put of peace, a legitimate artist’s property, and now is the time to entrust that sense of peace to the next person.”
The well-known gate to the back garden, which was inscribed with graffiti and enjoy notes from enthusiasts, was a single of 59 of Mercury’s most prized belongings that sold for 12.2 million pounds ($15.4 million) in September. The door brought in 412,750 lbs . ($521,000), which includes a buyer’s top quality.
Jane Seymour may possibly not have essentially married Freddie Mercury back in the day, but they did seal their “wedding ceremony” with a kiss.
