Blog 7

Jan asked about Freddie’s parents and sister.
The last I heard Freddie’s Mum, Jer, was doing fine. I just hope I am half as active as she is if I achieve her time of life. I do enjoy good conversations with Kash’ through phone calls and emails.

Adam had a few questions wrapped up in one about Freddie and privacy.
As regards Jim’s book ‘Mercury and Me’ you must understand two things. It was Jim’s story of his time with Freddie, which is an important fact. What also must be taken into account is that it was ‘ghost’ written by a ‘News of the World’ journalist, who most of you realise are able to create something scandalous out of what might in an ordinary light seem quite innocent and sweet. I feel more upset about the ‘private’ videos recently put on youtube, which were supposed to be purely personal, than what is in books. How someone can release something they DO NOT own, is beyond me. Adam also talked about Mary Austin, NO, I have nothing against her. As he said, many things have been said about her, good and bad, but like most ‘reported’ stories, they don’t always bare too much relation to the truth.
I think Philip’s question could be answered here. I can’t really answer it as I was NEVER one of Freddie’s lovers. If he looks on the internet he will find many different articles about that subject.

Hannah’s, Nathalie’s and Michael’s questions can be answered together.
On a quiet night at Garden Lodge, and they did happen, particularly in the last couple of years, Freddie would be happy to have a light meal and spend some time watching tv, or if some friends came to visit he would be entertained with playing scrabble. To my knowledge, during this time he never played ‘backwards’ scrabble, and I cannot tell you the rules! His taste in food changed over the years I was with Freddie. When I started the group of us would make monthly visits to the restaurant Shezan, an Indian eatery, in Knightsbridge. Freddie never had a menu as they always provided his favourite selection of foods without asking. As his illness progressed, his tastebuds could not take the assault of spicy foods and he tended to more bland foods. He also turned his eating habits around. He used to have a lighter meal at lunch and then have to big meal in the evening, usually at a restaurant with a big group of friends. Towards the end he would eat more at lunch and a smaller meal in the evenings. I have included a recipe for Freddie’s favourite curry that I used to make for him at home!

Daniel asked about Freddie’s teeth.
Freddie hated his teeth. Many people suggested to him to have corrective procedures, but he always refused. Basically he was afraid that by changing his mouth shape, he would change the sound of his voice, and lose that wonderful sound he had. You can see in interviews how he tried to use his top lip to cover the teeth, or if he really laughed, he brought his hand up to cover his mouth. At home he had no such problems and he was happy to throw his head back and really laugh, not caring which of his friends saw his teeth.

Alice asked about Freddie and the Royal Ballet.
Freddie only performed once ‘live’ with the Royal Ballet, when he appeared with them at the London Coliseum at the big charity show where I saw him perform for the first time. He worked with them again for the video for ‘I Want to Break Free.’ Freddie remained friends with some of the dancers from his first appearance, especially Wayne Eagling, who was at that point one of the star male dancers, and Freddie would often go to the ballet for an evening and then spend a few hours on the town with the dancers. I remember one time he had a illegal amount of people in his Rolls Royce, driving around London in the early hours dropping of dancers at their homes.

As I am reading the questions now, I have found that there are some being repeated. I hope no-one takes offence if their name is not mentioned, but you do get some information regarding you question.
The next blog will be written in Montreux where I will be going soon for our Freddie birthday weekend. I am looking forward to seeing some of you there, and I am also preparing myself for the invasion of ‘Freddies’, all those of you who will be there in their Freddie For A Day outfits. Raising money and awareness, while having a good time!!!!