- The car that transported rock band Queen’s charismatic front man from 1979 until his passing
- The sale of this car will have all proceeds sent to the Superhumans of Ukraine charity
- Despite never having a full driving license, Mercury was chauffeured in luxury in this car for much of his incredible career
- Mercury and the car shared a lot of amazing history, including a well-documented record label contract signing, which took place within the car
- After his death, the car passed into his sister’s ownership and was retained by her for many years
(London, 11 October 2022) – RM Sotheby’s is delighted to announce the sale of Freddie Mercury’s personal 1974 Rolls-Royce Silver Shadow. Mercury, the world-famous front man of Queen, unquestionably one of the biggest bands of the 21st century, acquired the car for his personal use in 1979, keeping it until his untimely death in 1991. The car then passed to his sister, who retained the car for many years.
The sale of the car presents a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity to acquire a piece of rock and roll history, while at the same time benefiting a remarkable charity, Superhumans of Ukraine. The charity is raising funds to help build a brand-new hospital in the Lviv province of Ukraine. The hospital will help support the rehabilitation of adults and children who have suffered injuries due to the conflict. The centre is being built with the intention to treat a proposed 3,000 patients per year, with the charity’s mission statement being “to transform Ukraine into a country of Superhumans rather than a country with disabled victims.”
Freddie Mercury needs little introduction to most people, having been one of the greatest singers, performers, and showmen the music industry has ever known. By 1979, Queen had already enjoyed great success and were one of the biggest bands on the planet, and Freddie’s acquisition of his beloved Rolls-Royce was a perfect way to celebrate that success. The car left the factory finished in Silver Chalice over Blue interior, and was acquired by Mercury’s company, Goose Productions Ltd., in 1979. It became Mercury’s personal chauffeur-driven transport for the duration of Queen’s smash hit heyday, at a time when the band would record much of its best-known music.
Accompanying the car is a history file that features Mercury’s name on assorted workshop invoices. Curiously, much of the paperwork on file is recorded in the name of Mary Austin, Mercury’s former partner, who assisted the singer with the upkeep of the Rolls-Royce. A letter on file from Jim Beach, long-time band manager of Queen, verifies the car’s celebrity ownership. In a documentary film, Beach states: “We filmed the promo video for We Will Rock You in the garden of Roger Taylor’s new Surrey mansion…and Freddie upstaged everyone by arriving in his brand new Roller.” He continues: “Freddie insisted that we sign all of the contracts, all of us together, in the back of the Roller, because this was the first Rolls he’d ever owned.” Film footage of Mercury arriving at the filming of the promotional video that day is captured on film, with the car’s registration number WLX 293M, clearly visible.
Beach also comments that upon Mercury’s passing in November 1991, the Silver Shadow continued to be driven by the rock star’s sister, Kashmira Cook, who subsequently bought the car from the Freddie Mercury Estate in 2003.
Nick Wiles, Car Specialist at RM Sotheby’s, says: “This car is simply fantastic. It’s hard to find any music fan who doesn’t love Freddie Mercury, and he remains as big a name today as he ever was. This car represents a serious piece of history and the fact that the proceeds of the sale will benefit the amazing Superhumans of Ukraine charity is wonderful. We are delighted that the owner of the car has entrusted it to us to deliver the best possible outcome for the charity.”