Freddie Mercury's secret child revealed as Queen icon's daughter speaks out

A new book based on life is set to rock the of showbiz as his secret child has been revealed. The Queen frontman had a daughter that was kept well away from his public image.

Her existence was only known to his very closest circle, Freddie's bandmembers were also aware, as well as the love of his life, Mary Austin.

The book, Love, Freddie, details how the child was conceived accidentally during a fling with the wife of Freddie's close friend in 1976. His daughter, who is now 48 lives in Europe where she works as a medical professional.

She is also now a mother, making Freddie a posthumous granddad. The woman has spoken out to tell her bombshell story to respected rock biographer Lesley-Ann Jones.

She detailed how she was raised by a loving family but always knew the music icon was her dad. Before he died of pneumonia caused by Aids in 1991, Freddie gave his daughter 17 volumes of his personal journals.

His daughter had kept them a secret for years but has now handed them over to Jones, which form the basis of the book that'll be released later this year.

It tells the story of a child who was accidentally conceived during a fling. The news is set to come as a huge shock to Freddie's fans, as no one had every suggested the existence of a secret love child.

Freddie had a number of relationships with men and women, including Mary Austin. They met when she was 19 and he was 24, a time before his mega stardom.

The couple lived together and were engaged before Freddie came out as gay. Freddie and Mary never had any children but Mary went on to have two sons with another partner while remaining close to the singer for the rest of his life.

In the early 1980s, Freddie had a romance with Austrian actress Barbara Valentin and his third liaison with a woman, the mother of his child, was kept secret.

His daughter, only known as B, issued a handwritten letter in the book. It reads: " 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. The circumstances of my birth may seem, by most people's standards, unusual and even outrageous.

"That should come as no surprise. It never detracted from his commitment to love and look after me. He cherished me like a treasured possession," the message seen by said.

Jones was approached by B three years ago and initially had reservations. "My instinct was to doubt everything, but I am absolutely sure she is not a fantasist," she said.

The author said B has never asked for money and does not want recognition. She said B was not provided for through Freddie's will, but instead through a private legal arrangement so the secret would be kept.

"His only child was conceived accidentally with the wife of one of his closest friends, while his friend was away on an extended business trip. For the Roman Catholic mother, abortion was out of the question," Jones told the publication.

She said Freddie was a "hands-on devoted dad" and was the "greatest blessing of his life". Jones explained they decided B would live with her mother and her husband but Freddie would have his own room at their home.

The three friends raised B together and Freddie spoke to his daughter everyday when he was on tour.

Addressing why she wanted to speak out now, B wrote in a letter included in the book: "After more than three decades of lies, speculation and distortion, it is time to let Freddie speak.

"Those who have been aware of my existence kept his greatest secret out of loyalty to Freddie. That I choose to reveal myself in my own midlife is my decision and mine alone."

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