Freddie Mercury's House Listed for Sale at $38 Million

The house of Freddie Mercury, the famous British rock singer from the 70s and 80s, has been put up for sale in London for $38 million (approximately £30 million). According to the Associated Press, this 8-bedroom villa, located in the chic Kensington neighborhood of London, has been in the possession of his former girlfriend, Mary Austin, since Mercury's death in 1991. Mary Austin explained the reason for the sale, saying, "This house is my most magnificent box of memories, as every room is filled with love and warmth. Living here has been delightful for me; I have incredible memories here. This is a place of peace, the home of a true artist. But now it is time to pass this sense of tranquility to the next person." After Mercury's death, Mary Austin became the owner of all his assets, and last year she sold a collection of his stage costumes, fine arts, and song lyrics, earning millions of dollars. Freddie Mercury bought this house in 1980 for £500,000. In his autobiography, Mercury wrote about the house: "I saw the house, fell in love with it, and within half an hour it was mine. I love to be surrounded by magnificent things. I want to be enveloped in a Victorian life." Freddie Mercury, born Farrokh Bulsara on September 5, 1946, in Zanzibar under British protectorate, or present-day Tanzania, was the son of Zoroastrian Parsis. He moved to England with his family at the age of 17 and studied art. After graduating, he joined several music groups and, along with his girlfriend Mary Austin, sold second-hand clothes in the Kensington market in London. He also had a job at Heathrow Airport. Mercury pursued a professional career in singing, songwriting, and music production starting in 1969 and passed away in 1991 at the age of 45 due to complications from AIDS and pneumonia.