Garden Lodge, the cherished former residence of the late Queen icon Freddie Mercury, has hit the market for the first time since his 1991 death for offers above $38 million, according to a release from the listing brokerage.
Bloomberg first reported the news of the offering, which is represented by Knight Frank.
Mercury bequeathed this London property, which he had owned since the 1980s, to his friend and former fiancée, Mary Austin. Over the next three decades, Austin lovingly preserved the home and its contents, maintaining it in much the same condition Mercury kept — meaning a buyer today can get a seemingly pristine time capsule and a big piece of history linked to one of music’s biggest names.
“This house has been the most glorious memory box, because it has such love and warmth inevery room,” Austin said in a statement. “It has been a joy to live in and I have many wonderful memories here. Now that it is empty, I’m transported back to the first time we viewed it.”
“Ever since Freddie and I stepped through the fabled green door, it has been a place of peace, a true artist’s house, and now is the time to entrust that sense of peace to the next person.”
Located in the affluent enclave of Kensington, this abode served as a sanctuary for the late star, born Farrokh Bulsara. He died at age 45 from AIDS-related complications.
Constructed in the Neo-Georgian architectural style, this residence dates to 1907.
Mercury stumbled upon Garden Lodge in 1980, and bought it on the spot.
Thrilled with the prospect of redesigning the house, he tapped interior architect and designer Robin Moore Ede to bring his visions to life. This creative collaboration, under Mercury’s artistic leadership, yielded remarkable results.
Inside, the house exudes a grand yet comfortable ambiance, affectionately referred to by Mercury as his “country house in central London.”
The centerpiece of the home is the double-height drawing room, which originally served as an artists’ studio for the house’s original owners. Here, Freddie placed his grand piano, where he composed his magnum opus, “Bohemian Rhapsody,” surrounded by his own works of art.
The house was designed with entertaining in mind, with features such as a redesigned minstrels’ gallery — now a bar and music center — overlooking the main room and garden.
Everywhere, one is reminded of Freddie’s vibrant personality and eclectic vision, from the intimate dining room — with its citrus-tone yellow walls — to the Japanese sitting room with its exquisite French doors.
That latter room leads to the landscaped Japanese-style garden, featuring magnolia trees that bloom in spring, and Asian-inspired water features.
Upstairs, the main suite features a dramatic dressing room, adorned with floor-to-ceiling mirrors that stored Mercury’s extensive wardrobe and stage costumes.
Last year marked the end of an era, as Austin decided to part with the keep, presenting a series of sales at Sotheby’s titled “Freddie Mercury: A World of His Own,” which showcased his collections.
The event attracted a global audience of more than 140,000 visitors, with 41,800 bids placed on 1,406 lots from buyers in the UK, North America, Germany, Italy, Japan, Australia, Mexico, Brazil and 50 other countries.
Paddy Dring, Global Head of Prime Sales and Joint Head of Knight Frank’s Private Office added: “The sale of Garden Lodge presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to own a significant property combined with a piece of cultural history, the beloved home of an icon.
“Having been carefully preserved with love and respect over the last three decades, we expect that the exceptional provenance of the property will be incredibly alluring to buyers across the world. Notwithstanding the legacy of the house, it is very rare that unmodernized homes of this scale, set in such beautiful mature gardens come to market, so it is certainly an exciting prospect for any future purchaser.
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