Brian May Breaks Silence on Freddie Mercury Auction: “Too Painful to Watch My Friend’s Legacy Sold”

When Freddie Mercury, the legendary frontman of Queen, passed away in 1991, he left behind not only an unparalleled musical legacy but also a collection of deeply personal treasures—costumes, handwritten lyrics, instruments, and keepsakes that reflected the man behind the music. More than three decades later, in September 2023, Sotheby’s unveiled Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own, a record-shattering auction of his belongings.

While fans and collectors worldwide celebrated the chance to own a piece of Mercury’s story, longtime bandmate Brian May found the event unbearable.

“It’s Too Sad to Watch”

Taking to Instagram, May, now 77, admitted he couldn’t bring himself to follow the auction. Sharing a nostalgic photograph of Freddie gently cradling his handmade red “number three” guitar, May reflected on the bittersweet emotions stirred by the sale.

“Inescapably thinking so much about Freddie in these strange days,” he wrote. “At the time, it didn’t seem very important to see Freddie’s fingers dancing on my guitar. Now it summons up waves of affection and great memories. He is so missed.”

May revealed the sharp contrast between his own day—“speaking passionately to Welsh farmers about cows and badgers and bovine TB”—and the sight of Freddie’s most intimate belongings being “knocked down to the highest bidder and dispersed forever.” His conclusion was raw and simple: “I can’t look… It’s too sad.”

A Sister’s Silent Mission

The auction had been organized by Mary Austin, Freddie’s longtime confidante and former partner, who inherited much of his estate. Yet not everyone in Mercury’s family was willing to see his possessions vanish into private collections.

His younger sister, Kashmira, 73, launched a quiet mission to keep some of his belongings within the family. With her son, Jamal Zook, she attended a private viewing incognito and carefully selected which items they would fight to reclaim. During the live bidding, Kashmira watched remotely, instructing her assistant to pay far beyond estimates in order to secure key mementos. According to insiders, she undertook the effort without Mary’s knowledge—driven purely by love and a desire to preserve her brother’s legacy.

Record-Breaking Auction

The results were historic. Over 41,800 bids were placed, with Mercury’s collection ultimately fetching £40 million, the highest total ever for a single-artist auction. Nearly every lot surpassed expectations, with his beloved Yamaha grand piano—the instrument on which he composed many Queen classics—selling for £1.7 million, setting a record for a composer’s instrument.

From flamboyant stage outfits to personal letters, every piece reflected Mercury’s larger-than-life persona and his deeply private world. For fans, it was a chance to connect more closely with their idol. For those who loved him, like May and Kashmira, it was a poignant reminder of how much had been lost—and how fiercely his memory endures.

More Than Memorabilia

While the auction closed a chapter on Freddie Mercury’s physical possessions, the emotions surrounding it reveal something more profound. Brian May’s grief-stricken reaction and Kashmira’s secret determination to reclaim family treasures show that Mercury’s true legacy isn’t measured in pounds or auction records.

It lives in the music he created, the friendships he forged, and the countless lives he touched. No sale, however monumental, could ever diminish that.