13 Facts About Freddie Mercury

1. On November 24, 1991, Freddie Mercury went to his death having lived one of the most remarkable lives anyone can recall.

2. In December 2009 a large model of Freddie Mercury wearing tartan was put on display in Edinburgh as publicity for the run of We Will Rock You at the Playhouse Theatre.

3. In 2009 a star commemorating Freddie Mercury was unveiled in Feltham, west London where his family moved upon arriving in England in 1964.

4. In his will, Freddie Mercury left the vast majority of his wealth, including his home and recording royalties, to Mary Austin and the remainder to his parents and sister.

5. In 1987, Freddie Mercury celebrated his 41st birthday at the Pikes Hotel, Ibiza, several months after discovering that he had contracted HIV.

6. In his will, Freddie Mercury left his London home to Austin, rather than his partner Jim Hutton, saying to her, "You would have been my wife, and it would have been yours anyway.

7. In a 1985 interview, Freddie Mercury said of Austin, "All my lovers asked me why they couldn't replace Mary [Austin], but it's simply impossible.

8. In the early 1970s, Freddie Mercury had a long-term relationship with Mary Austin, whom he met through guitarist Brian May He lived with Austin for several years in West Kensington, London.

9. Over the course of his career, Freddie Mercury performed an estimated 700 concerts in countries around the world with Queen.

10. In 2003 Freddie Mercury was posthumously inducted into the Songwriters Hall of Fame, and in 2005 he was posthumously awarded an Ivor Novello Award for Outstanding Song Collection from the British Academy of Songwriters, Composers and Authors.

11. In April 1970 Freddie Mercury joined guitarist Brian May and drummer Roger Taylor who had previously been in a band called Smile.

12. In 1954, at the age of eight, Freddie Mercury was sent to study at St Peter's School, a British-style boarding school for boys, in Panchgani near Bombay.

13. In 1992, Freddie Mercury was posthumously awarded the Brit Award for Outstanding Contribution to British Music, and a tribute concert was held at Wembley Stadium, London.