In 1985, he began a long-term relationship with Jim Hutton, a male hairstylist. Hutton was later diagnosed with AIDS in 1990. Hutton stayed with and cared for Mercury during his illness for the last six years of his life, and was one of the last people at his bedside before his death. Hutton also mentioned that Mercury was wearing the wedding ring he had given him before he died.
According to his lover Jim Hutton, he was tested positive for AIDS in the spring of 1987. At this time, Mercury continued to deny in interviews that he had AIDS. Although he denied it, in the past few years, the British media still frantically tracked his health due to his increasingly thin appearance, absence from Queen's tour and information leaked to tabloids by his past lover. . Before his death, he was followed by paparazzi almost all the time. Among them, "The Sun" wrote many articles claiming that he had AIDS.
On November 22, 1991, Mercury called Queen's manager Jim Beach and invited him to his home in Kensington, London, to prepare a public statement. The next day, November 23, the following statement was publicly released as Mercury:
Following the enormous conjecture in the press over the last two weeks, I wish to confirm that I have been tested HIV positive and have AIDS. I felt it correct to keep this information private to date to protect the privacy of those around me. However, the time has come now for my friends and fans around the world to know the truth and I hope that everyone will join with my doctors and all those worldwide in the fight against this terrible disease. My privacy has always been very special to me and I am famous for my lack of interviews. Please understand this policy will continue.
< p>However, the next day, November 24, 1991, Mercury passed away at the age of 45. The official cause of death was pneumonia caused by AIDS. Although he did not participate in religious services for many years, his funeral was performed with Zoroastrian rites. Elton John, David Bowie and three other members of Queen attended the funeral. He is buried in Kensal Green Cemetery.According to his will, he gave the property and copyright to his close friend Mary Austin, and the rest to his parents and sister. He also left a further ￡500,000 for his chef Joe Fanelli, ￡500,000 for personal assistant Peter Freestone, ￡100,000 for driver Terry Giddings and ￡500,000 for Jim Hutton.
Mary Austin still lives with her family in the Kensington home left to her by Mercury. Hutton moved permanently to the Republic of Ireland in 1995. He participated in a 2000 biography project about Mercury, "Freddie Mercury, the Untold Story", and celebrated Mercury's 60th birthday on the same day. Interviewed by The Times.