Freddie Mercury’s ex-fiancée Mary Austin to reveal singer’s unreleased archive in new book

15 October 2025, 13:52 | Updated: 15 October 2025, 14:15

By Hannah Watkin

A Life in Lyrics will feature a whole host of previously unpublished lyrics and songs, plus new photos, anecdotes and more from his life.

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Freddie Mercury’s unreleased creative archive will at last be published in a new book from his lifelong friend and former fiancée, Mary Austin.

The title, A Life in Lyrics, will be released next September to celebrate the ‘I Want To Break Free’ star in the week of what would have been his 80th birthday.

The book will feature previously unpublished material including alternate lyrics and abandoned verses for songs such as ‘Bohemian Rhapsody’ and ‘Don’t Stop Me Now’, and entire songs which were never recorded.

These incredible archive finds will be presented alongside stories, memories and anecdotes of life with Freddie from Mary Austin, all illustrated with photographs from the singer’s private collection.

Freddie and Mary Austin in a new photo from the archive. Picture: © courtesy of the private collection of Mary Austin

A Life in Lyrics comes to be after Freddie left Mary his house, possessions and creative archive on his death in 1991.

Speaking in today’s release statement, Mary explained how she “began to leaf through” some of Freddie’s private papers in 2023, after they “had lain, undisturbed and unseen" in the house for over thirty years.

Discovering “working drafts for Freddie’s lyrics, set down across loose sheets of paper and in simple, plain notebooks that entirely belied the wonders within... memories from decades passed, of conversations, occasions and emotions” were stirred for the 74-year-old.

“Freddie’s songs continue to bring so much happiness, and solace, to so many,” she continued.

“I hope that by sharing his manuscripts now, contextualized with fresh insights and a sprinkling of vignettes of our lives together, I will illuminate the remarkable creative force of my dear friend for the enjoyment of everyone he continues to delight and inspire, even after all these years.”

Freddie Mercury's relationship with soulmate Mary Austin explained

A Life in Lyrics will be published by HarperCollins in hardback, ebook and audiobook formats on September 1, 2026.

Mary's decision to publish these curated highlights from the beloved singer's archive comes after she sold many of the singer's possessions at auction in 2023.

Earlier this year, it emerged Freddie's sister Kashmira spent around £3 million saving some of Freddie's priceless possessions from leaving the family collection.