LONDON —
LONDON (AP) — Freddie Mercury’s former home in the posh Kensington neighborhood of London, where he lived for the last decade of his life, is now on the market for the first time in nearly fifty years, but without his signature “exquisite clutter.”
Known as Garden Lodge, the neo-Georgian brick residence is being sold by Knight Frank with offers starting at over 30 million pounds ($38 million), although it is not listed publicly.
Mercury, the lead singer of Queen, bought the house in 1980, the same year the band released their hit album “The Game.” He reportedly paid cash for the property, which was listed at over 500,000 pounds.
The house underwent extensive renovations during Mercury’s ownership and was filled with valuable artwork including pieces by Picasso, Dalí, and Matisse.
After Mercury’s passing in 1991 at the age of 45, the house and all his belongings were left to his close friend and ex-girlfriend, Mary Austin, who resided there. She has since sold many of his possessions, including stage costumes and fine art, and the property was recently listed for sale.
The famous gate adorned with graffiti and love notes from fans, one of Mercury’s most cherished items, was sold for over 12 million pounds ($15.4 million) in September, with the door itself fetching over 400,000 pounds ($521,000) at auction.