Photo: Richard Young
The Richard Young Gallery in Kensington are hosting an exhibition of unseen archive photographs called 'A Kind Of Magic' to honour Mercury's 70th Birthday.
We have three of the unseen intimate portraits to show you below before the exhibition opens to the public tomorrow and runs until 5 November.
Richard Young is in a unique position to be putting on such an elaborate exhibition as he was very close to Freddie Mercury. He first cemented his friendship with the legendary frontman on New Years Eve 1978 at a small club in Jermyn Street called Maunkberry.
Since then, he was invited to the inner circle given unparalled acccess to the band compared with any other photographer in history. This relationship spanned for a 13 year period.
Thanks to this intiamcy, the exhibition will enable you to see the insider’s view of Freddie Mercury’s the sparkling moments in his glamorous world: music video shoots, extravagant parties, backstage and onstage shots of shows around the world from Ibiza, to Budapest, Rio and Barcelona. An impressive number of these have never seen before and truly unearth the character of the man off stage
Here is the first exclusive and is taken in Rio De Janeiro, 1985
Young said in the press release that it was Mercury's 39th birthday that stands out as one of his fondest memories if the singer: “The parties were always wild, full of laughter and unique. When you were in Freddie’s inner circle you would always be given a nickname, mine was Muriel Young. This was after the TV presenter from the 50’s, and Freddie would always say, “Come on Muriel!” I loved it. I felt I was part of his family.”
Speaking about the significance of the occasion today he adds: "Freddie would have been 70, I am a year younger and we are both Virgos. I have the most wonderful memories from my time with Freddie. It was a unique part of rock and roll history, and I feel so honoured that I was able to capture so many wonderful, fun and also poignant times of him over a thirteen-year period. He left us far too early.”
This is the second never seen before image and is also taken in Rio, 1985
And the final exclusive is Queen in concert, Magic Tour, Wembley, 1986 
Here are some more.....
Mercury singing 'Princes of the Universe' on a video shoot in 1986
Queen in concert, Magic Tour, Wembley, 1986
His 40th Birthday party, London, 1986
With Jane Seymour at Royal Albert Hall, London, 1985
Queen Crazy Hats party, Legends nightclub, London, 1979
Freddie Mercury & Elton John, House of Commons, London, 1980
The Richard Young Gallery can be found at:
Richard Young Gallery
4 Holland St
London
W8 4LT
Gallery Hours are as follows:
Monday 11:00am – 5:00pm
Tuesday – Thursday 10:00am – 6:00pm
Friday 10.00am – 5.00pm
Saturday 11:00am – 5.00pm
Sunday - by appointment only
