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AsiaOne
24-04-2025
- Entertainment
- AsiaOne
Freddie Mercury's sister spent $5.2m buying up his auctioned belongings, Entertainment News
Freddie Mercury's sister reportedly spent £3 million (S$5.2m) buying up his belongings after they were auctioned off by his ex Mary Austin. The Queen star — who died in 1991 aged 45 — left much of his estate including his London home and its contents to his former lover and longtime friend Mary, who sold off his possessions at auction back in 2023. Now, The Sun newspaper reports Freddie's sibling Kashmira Bulsara, 73, spent millions buying up lots to keep them in the family. A source told the publication: "Kashmira was angry and upset to see so many of her beloved brother's possessions become available for anyone to buy. "So she went for a private viewing, anonymously... to see which bits she wanted to try to get... "Kashmira watched [the auction] online and told her PA how much to bid for each item. They had set aside a huge budget so were actually very happy with the final figure laid out, despite paying well over the estimated price for each one. "Of course, Kashmira appreciates how adored Freddie was across the world, but she was saddened to think of some of his sentimental belongings not being with his loved ones." The newspaper reports items bought by Kashmira included a waistcoat emblazoned with portraits of Freddie's six cats which he wore in the music video for Queen's track These Are The Days Of Our Lives. It sold for £139,700. Kashmira is also said to have snapped up a Wurlitzer Model 850 jukebox (£406,400), draft lyrics for Queen song Killer Queen (£279,400), a Daum Persimmons vase which had been converted into a lamp (£22,860) and a Nike sweatshirt (£40,640). The auction is believed to have made around £40 million and Mary donated some of the proceeds to charity, with funds going to the Mercury Phoenix Trust, which was set up in the late singer's honour, and the Elton John Aids Foundation. Mary said at the time of the sale: "The time has come for me to take the difficult decision to close this very special chapter in my life. "I decided that it wouldn't be appropriate for me to keep things back. If I was going to sell, I had to be brave and sell the lot." [[nid:717169]]
Perth Now
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Perth Now
Freddie Mercury's sister 'spent £3m buying his belongings'
Freddie Mercury's sister reportedly spent £3 million buying up his belongings after they were auctioned off by his ex Mary Austin. The Queen star - who died in 1991 aged 45 - left much of his estate including his London home and its contents to his former lover and longtime friend Mary, who sold off his possessions at auction back in 2023 and now The Sun newspaper reports Freddie's sibling Kashmira Bulsara, 73, spent millions buying up lots to keep them in the family. A source told the publication: "Kashmira was angry and upset to see so many of her beloved brother's possessions become available for anyone to buy. "So she went for a private viewing, anonymously .... to see which bits she wanted to try to get ... "Kashmira watched [the auction] online and told her PA how much to bid for each item. They had set aside a huge budget so were actually very happy with the final figure laid out, despite paying well over the estimated price for each one. "Of course, Kashmira appreciates how adored Freddie was across the world, but she was saddened to think of some of his sentimental belongings not being with his loved ones." The newspaper reports items bought by Kashmira included a waistcoat emblazoned with portraits of Freddie's six cats which he wore in the music video for Queen's track 'These Are The Days Of Our Lives'. It sold for £139,700. Kashmira is also said to have snapped up a Wurlitzer Model 850 jukebox (£406,400), draft lyrics for Queen song 'Killer Queen' (£279,400), a Daum Persimmons vase which had been converted into a lamp (£22,860) and a Nike sweatshirt (£40,640). The auction is believed to have made around £40 million and Mary donated some of the proceeds to charity, with funds going to the Mercury Phoenix Trust, which was set up in the late singer's honour, and the Elton John Aids Foundation. Mary said at the time of the sale: "The time has come for me to take the difficult decision to close this very special chapter in my life. "I decided that it wouldn't be appropriate for me to keep things back. If I was going to sell, I had to be brave and sell the lot."
Daily Mail
23-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Daily Mail
Freddie Mercury's sister 'secretly spends £3M to get back singer's memorabilia amid battle with his 'wife' Mary Austin over star's possessions'
Freddie Mercury 's sister reportedly spent a staggering £3million to get her hands on the late singer's personal belongings, after his former partner put them up for auction. Mary Austin was the woman who won the heart of the rock legend and has been the beneficiary of his fortune since his death from AIDS-related pneumonia in 1991. However, upon learning that Mary, 74, had put up some of Freddie's memorabilia for sale, his sister Kashmira Bulsara, 73, is alleged to have been left devastated and determined to keep them in the family. According to the Sun, she and her son Jamal Zook decided to take part in the bidding and shell out for the Queen star's possessions, while remaining anonymous so as not to to alert Mary. A source told the publication: 'Kashmira was angry and upset to see so many of her beloved brother's possessions become available for anyone to buy.' They explained that she went to a private viewing beforehand to see the items being sold and then sent her PA to Sotheby's on her behalf, while watching online and telling her assistant how much to bid' They added: 'They had set aside a huge budget so were actually very happy with the final figure laid out, despite paying well over the estimated price for each one. 'Of course, Kashmira appreciates how adored Freddie was across the world, but she was saddened to think of some of his sentimental belongings not being with his loved ones.' It is claimed that among the items Kashmira bought was a £139,700 waistcoat adorned with pictures of Freddie's six cats, which he wore in the music video for These Are The Days Of Our Lives, just six months before his death. The Sun also reports she paid £406,400 for a Wurlitzer Model 850 jukebox and £279,400 for eight pages of draft lyrics to 1974 Queen hit track Killer Queen. And she's said to have spent the most cash on a military jacket that was made for her brother's 39th birthday, shelling out a staggering £457,200. The other reported items were a £22,860 lamp made from a Daum Persimmons vase, a £40,640 Nike sweatshirt and a cube-shaped ice bucket for £19,000. Representatives for Kashmira declined to comment when approached by MailOnline, while Mary's representatives have also been contacted. Mary previously sold more than 1,400 of the Freddie's belonging for a total of £12,172,290 at an auction run by Sotheby's in September 2023. The items were sold following a month-long exhibition, called Freddie Mercury 'A World of his Own', featuring a never-before-seen private collection of the star's personal possessions from his home, Garden Lodge. His collection at Garden Lodge had remained largely untouched for some 30 years after his death, with him leaving the hose and its belonging to Mary, who told the BBC: 'It's a very intelligent, sophisticated collection and I don't think one would really attribute that... to Freddie.' Over 140,000 people visited the London exhibition to see the collection, before the six auctions which saw a record number of bids from 61 countries. The top item was Freddie's beloved Yamaha Baby Grand piano that he bought in 1975 and used to compose hits such as Bohemian Rhapsody and Don't Stop Me Now - selling for a record £1.7 million. Other top-selling items included handwritten working lyrics for Bohemian Rhapsody, which sold for £1.4 million, while Freddie's rainbow-coloured satin jacket sold for £203,200. A silver snake bangle worn in the Bohemian Rhapsody video in 1975 sold for almost 100 times its estimate at £698,500, Sotheby's said. Mary donated some of the proceeds to the Mercury Phoenix Trust, a charity set up in Freddie's honour by his bandmates and manager Jim Beach, as well as the Elton John Aids Foundation. Explaining why she had decided to sell the belongings, she told the BBC: 'The time has come for me to take the difficult decision to close this very special chapter in my life. I need to put my affairs in order. Mary and Freddie first met in 1970 when he was a young aspiring musician, who had moved to London six years prior from his birth country, Zanzibar (pictured in 1986) 'I decided that it wouldn't be appropriate for me to keep things back. If I was going to sell, I had to be brave and sell the lot.' While Sotheby's explained she had 'decided that Freddie's adored Yamaha Baby Grand Piano, which she has so treasured over the years, should now be offered without reserve, so as to open the possibility of bidding to a broader base of potential buyers'. Mary and Freddie first met in 1970 when he was a young aspiring musician, who had moved to London six years prior from his birth country, Zanzibar. The former couple moved in together and got engaged in 1973, but three years later Freddie came out to her and told her he was gay. Mary and Freddie would never legally marry, but he called her his 'wife' even long after he'd confessed his true sexuality, which ended their romance. In a rare interview, Mary, recalled: 'He said, 'I think I am bisexual. I told him: 'I think you're gay.' And nothing else was said. We just hugged.' Mary and Freddie remained the closest of friends throughout his life.
Scottish Sun
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- Scottish Sun
Freddie Mercury's family in bitter war with his ex who star ‘left £37.5m' as they battle to get his belongings back
Click to share on X/Twitter (Opens in new window) Click to share on Facebook (Opens in new window) FREDDIE Mercury's furious sister secretly spent £3million to snap up the Queen singer's memorabilia after it was put up for auction by his ex. Kashmira Bulsara was said to be devastated to see the Queen hero's belongings being flogged by Mary Austin — and was prepared to pay over the odds to keep them in the family. 7 Freddie Mercury's furious sister spent £3million buying the Queen singer's memorabilia Credit: BBC 7 Many important items belonging to the Queen frontman were put up for auction by his ex Mary Austin - the pair are pictured together here in 1985 Credit: Rex Features 7 Freddie left half of his estate (£37.5 million) to former fiancée Mary, now 74 Credit: TillenDOve But she did not want Mary to know that it was her bidding for them at auction house Sotheby's so she and her son Jamal Zook did it all anonymously. The source said: 'Kashmira was angry and upset to see so many of her beloved brother's possessions become available for anyone to buy. 'So she went for a private viewing, anonymously, with Jamal and her PA before the auction to see which bits she wanted to try to get. 'Then when it came to auction time, Kashmira's PA went in-person to Sotheby's and was on the phone to Kashmira throughout. 'Kashmira watched online and told her PA how much to bid for each item. 'They had set aside a huge budget so were actually very happy with the final figure laid out, despite paying well over the estimated price for each one. 'Of course, Kashmira appreciates how adored Freddie was across the world, but she was saddened to think of some of his sentimental belongings not being with his loved ones.' Purchases made by Kashmira, 73, included a Wurlitzer Model 850 jukebox for £406,400, and a waistcoat with portraits of Freddie's six cats on which went for £139,700. He had worn it in the music video for Queen's These Are The Days Of Our Lives — filmed six months before his Aids- related death in 1991, aged 45. A military-style jacket made for Freddie's 39th birthday was Kashmira's most expensive purchase, at £457,200. Freddie Mercury's lost song 'Time Waits for No One' is found after decade long search She also bought eight pages of draft lyrics of Queen's 1974 hit Killer Queen for £279,400. A Daum Persimmons vase, which had been converted into a lamp with a tasselled shade made by Freddie, sold for £22,860, and a Nike sweatshirt went for £40,640. Mary sold 1,406 lots for a total of £40million in 2023, saying: 'I need to put my affairs in order.' The total estimate prior to the sale, called Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own, was up to £11.3million. Some 140,000 visitors attended a pre-sales exhibition, with 41,800 bids across six sessions and buyers from more than 50 different countries. Mary donated some of the proceeds to the Mercury Phoenix Trust — an Aids charity set up by Freddie's Queen bandmates and their manager Jim Beach — and the Elton John Aids Foundation. She had said: 'The time has come for me to take the difficult decision to close this very special chapter in my life. 7 'I decided that it wouldn't be appropriate for me to keep things back. If I was going to sell, I had to be brave and sell the lot.' Freddie had dated Mary from 1969 until the late 1970s, and the couple were engaged for a time. He wrote Queen's 1975 song Love Of My Life as a tribute to her. Their relationship ended after Freddie eventually came out to her as gay, but they remained close friends until his death. Mary also cared for Freddie during his illness. The singer left Mary half of his estate in his will, as well as his Garden Lodge mansion in Kensington, West London — which she also put on the market last year for £30million. It has not yet sold. Freddie, born Farrokh Bulsara, also enjoyed a close relationship with Kashmira. She spoke about his death in 2021 documentary Freddie Mercury: The Final Act. A representative for Kashmira said they had no comment to make on the auction. Mary could not be reached for comment yesterday. The auction house said: 'Sotheby's does not, as a matter of policy, comment on its clients or their purchases without express permission from those involved.' DO you have a story for The Sun? Call us on 0207 782 4104, email exclusive@ or text/WhatsApp 07423 720250. 7 Kashmira Bulsara, 73, felt the items should stay in the family Credit: AFP 7 Freddie's sister Kashmira and his mother Jer Bulsara, left, pictured in 2011 Credit: Getty 7 Mary also cared for Freddie during his illness Credit: Redferns
The Sun
22-04-2025
- Entertainment
- The Sun
Freddie Mercury's family in bitter war with his ex who star ‘left £37.5m' as they battle to get his belongings back
FREDDIE Mercury's furious sister secretly spent £3million to snap up the Queen singer's memorabilia after it was put up for auction by his ex. Kashmira Bulsara was said to be devastated to see the Queen hero's belongings being flogged by Mary Austin — and was prepared to pay over the odds to keep them in the family. 7 7 7 But she did not want Mary to know that it was her bidding for them at auction house Sotheby's so she and her son Jamal Zook did it all anonymously. The source said: 'Kashmira was angry and upset to see so many of her beloved brother's possessions become available for anyone to buy. 'So she went for a private viewing, anonymously, with Jamal and her PA before the auction to see which bits she wanted to try to get. 'Then when it came to auction time, Kashmira's PA went in-person to Sotheby's and was on the phone to Kashmira throughout. 'Kashmira watched online and told her PA how much to bid for each item. 'They had set aside a huge budget so were actually very happy with the final figure laid out, despite paying well over the estimated price for each one. 'Of course, Kashmira appreciates how adored Freddie was across the world, but she was saddened to think of some of his sentimental belongings not being with his loved ones.' Purchases made by Kashmira, 73, included a Wurlitzer Model 850 jukebox for £406,400, and a waistcoat with portraits of Freddie's six cats on which went for £139,700. He had worn it in the music video for Queen's These Are The Days Of Our Lives — filmed six months before his Aids - related death in 1991, aged 45. A military-style jacket made for Freddie's 39th birthday was Kashmira's most expensive purchase, at £457,200. Freddie Mercury's lost song 'Time Waits for No One' is found after decade long search She also bought eight pages of draft lyrics of Queen's 1974 hit Killer Queen for £279,400. A Daum Persimmons vase, which had been converted into a lamp with a tasselled shade made by Freddie, sold for £22,860, and a Nike sweatshirt went for £40,640. Mary sold 1,406 lots for a total of £40million in 2023, saying: 'I need to put my affairs in order.' The total estimate prior to the sale, called Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own, was up to £11.3million. Some 140,000 visitors attended a pre-sales exhibition, with 41,800 bids across six sessions and buyers from more than 50 different countries. Mary donated some of the proceeds to the Mercury Phoenix Trust — an Aids charity set up by Freddie's Queen bandmates and their manager Jim Beach — and the Elton John Aids Foundation. She had said: 'The time has come for me to take the difficult decision to close this very special chapter in my life. 7 'I decided that it wouldn't be appropriate for me to keep things back. If I was going to sell, I had to be brave and sell the lot.' Freddie had dated Mary from 1969 until the late 1970s, and the couple were engaged for a time. He wrote Queen's 1975 song Love Of My Life as a tribute to her. Their relationship ended after Freddie eventually came out to her as gay, but they remained close friends until his death. Mary also cared for Freddie during his illness. The singer left Mary half of his estate in his will, as well as his Garden Lodge mansion in Kensington, West London — which she also put on the market last year for £30million. It has not yet sold. Freddie, born Farrokh Bulsara, also enjoyed a close relationship with Kashmira. She spoke about his death in 2021 documentary Freddie Mercury: The Final Act. A representative for Kashmira said they had no comment to make on the auction. Mary could not be reached for comment yesterday. The auction house said: 'Sotheby's does not, as a matter of policy, comment on its clients or their purchases without express permission from those involved.' DO you have a story for The Sun? Call us on 0207 782 4104, email exclusive@ or text/WhatsApp 07423 720250. 7 7 7 Carve-up of star's £75m QUEEN star Freddie left an estimated £75million to loved ones when he died in 1991, aged 45. Half his estate went to former fiancée Mary Austin, along with his West London mansion in which they had lived. Another 25 per cent went to parents Bomi and Jer Bulsara — but that too passed to Mary after their deaths in 2003 and 2016 respectively. The remaining 25 per cent was left to Freddie's sister Kashmira. Mary was also due to get £187.5million from the £1billion sale of Queen's back catalogue to Sony last year. Freddie left a further £500,000 to his partner Jim Hutton, who died in 2010.
