The woman who claimed to be Freddie Mercury’s secret daughter died January 15th at 48, leaving behind two young sons and a rock star legend controversy that refuses to fade. Bibi, as she was known, succumbed to chordoma—a rare spinal cancer—but her death only amplifies questions about the most disputed Mercury biography ever published.
The Claims That Started It All
The story of secret diaries and hidden paternity reads like rock fiction, but the believers won’t let go.
Lesley-Ann Jones built her 2025 book Love, Freddie around Bibi’s story: Mercury allegedly fathered her during a 1976 affair, maintained a close relationship until his 1991 death, and entrusted her with 17 volumes of personal diaries. Jones claims Mercury called Bibi his “trésor” (treasure) and wrote Queen songs “Don’t Try So Hard” and “Bijou” about their bond.
You know how rock biographies work—the juicier the secret, the bigger the sales. Jones spent 3.5 years working with Bibi after being approached in 2021, vouching for authenticity with “No one could have faked all this.” The diaries supposedly offer “the closest thing to a Freddie Mercury autobiography.”
Mercury’s Inner Circle Pushes Back
The people who knew Mercury best remain unconvinced by the dramatic revelations.
Mary Austin, Mercury’s former girlfriend and closest confidant, flatly denied knowing about any child or diaries. “I cannot imagine he would have kept such a joyful event a secret,” Austin stated, pointing to Mercury’s “glorious openness” as evidence against the claims. Queen’s Brian May stayed neutral, while his wife Anita Dobson dismissed everything as “fake news.”
Bibi responded to critics last August, telling the Daily Mail she was “devastated” by the skepticism and reaffirming her “very close and loving” relationship with Mercury, who treated her like a “treasured possession.”
What This Reveals About Rock Mythology
The hunger for untold rock star stories often outlasts the ability to verify them.
Her husband Thomas confirmed Bibi died peacefully, with ashes scattered over the Alps, saying she’s “now with her beloved and loving father in the world of thoughts.” The phrasing captures something essential about contested rock legacies—they exist as much in belief as in fact.
This story taps the same vein as Elvis sightings or Beatles conspiracy theories. You want your rock gods to have deeper mysteries, hidden chapters that make their already extraordinary lives even more cinematic. Sometimes the rock mythology matters more than the truth.
