Illness
In the fall of 1986, stories appeared in British tabloids reporting that Freddie Mercury had tested positive for HIV. Freddie denied the stories vehemently when questioned about them by a reporter from The Sun. The following spring Freddie was diagnosed with AIDS, though he continued to deny the stories publicly, admitting the truth of his illness only to an inner circle of friends. He also claimed that he had been tested for HIV and the results had been negative.
Mercury first exhibited signs of being infected with HIV in 1982, including during an appearance in September of that year on Saturday night live, according to the book Somebody to Love, and the same source speculates that it was contracted during Queen’s tour of the United States that year. Mercury continued to deny the reports and only those closest to him were aware of his secret, which did not for some time included the other members of Queen.
“We didn’t know actually what was wrong for a very long time,” Brian May told an interviewer many years later. “Gradually, I suppose in the last year and a bit, it became obvious what the problem was, or at least fairly obvious. We didn’t know for sure.” Freddie became increasingly frail in appearance, and public appearances ceased after the February 1990 Brit Awards, when Mercury appeared with the band, speaking only four words, “Thank you, good night”.
As Freddie grew weaker he continued to work, recording with Queen tracks which became the 1991 release, Innuendo. The other members of the band made themselves available to work based on Mercury’s schedule, and his failing health and steady weakening raised concerns over his ability to be able to sing some of the songs, though May later commented that he performed the songs capably, even brilliantly at times.
Throughout the period of his illness, the British tabloids had photographers watching Mercury’s London home, and occasional photographs of the clearly dying man appeared, with each presenting Freddie appearing more haggard than the photo preceding. Innuendo was released in early 1991, with Freddie spending most of that year in his London home, supported by his inner circle of close friends, and his long-time companion, Jim Hutton.