Born Farrokh Bulsara on 5 September 1946 in Zanzibar, Mercury would have turned 80 this week – an anniversary being marked with everything from a new V&A display next month of his gloriously extravagant stagewear to the publication of previously unseen lyrics and photographs. Whether you choose to immerse yourself in the archives, watch him command a stadium once more or simply turn Don’t Stop Me Now up very, very loud, here are seven ways to celebrate the greatest showman.
Freddie Mercury | Splendid Things, V&A
Opens 24 October 2026
Never knowingly underdressed, Mercury understood that clothes were an integral part of the performance. This new free V&A trail brings together eight looks from across his career, with pieces appearing throughout the museum rather than in a conventional single-gallery exhibition.
Among them are costumes associated with some of Mercury's most indelible performances and videos, charting his transformation from ambitious young musician to one of the most recognisable performers in the world. Developed with his former fiancée and lifelong confidante Mary Austin, it promises to be a celebration of Mercury's eye for beauty, theatre and sheer spectacle.
Staging Freddie, V&A
23 October 2026, In Person And Livestreamed
What, precisely, turned Freddie Mercury into Freddie Mercury once he stepped on stage? On the eve of Splendid Things, the V&A gathers some of the people who helped create his visual world to explore the costumes, staging and design behind that extraordinary stage presence. For those unable to make it to South Kensington, the conversation is also being livestreamed – an excellent curtain-raiser to the exhibition itself.
A Life In Lyrics: The Official Creative Legacy Of Freddie Mercury
Published 1 September 2026, £30
If the costumes reveal the consummate showman, this beautiful new book takes us behind the curtain. Drawn from the creative archive Mercury left to Mary Austin, A Life In Lyrics contains notebooks, drawings, photographs and previously unpublished material spanning almost two decades of his career.
There are alternative lyrics and abandoned verses for Bohemian Rhapsody, multiple drafts of Don't Stop Me Now and even songs that were never recorded, accompanied by Austin's memories of the man she knew so intimately. For anyone fascinated by the creative process behind all that apparent effortlessness, this is surely the 80th-birthday keepsake to own.
Mercury, Archive On 4, BBC Radio 4 Extra
Before there was the famous moustache and the stadium-filling Queen shows, there was Farrokh Bulsara, born in Zanzibar and educated in India before arriving in Britain as a teenager. In this fascinating 2021 programme, writer Sathnam Sanghera traces Mercury's journey from his early life to global superstardom. Archive recordings take us back to Queen at their career-defining Live Aid performance, while Farouk Topan, who knew Mercury in Zanzibar, helps conjure the world into which the young Farrokh was born. It is a thoughtful portrait that explores the famously elusive man beneath the stage persona.
Queen Budapest At The Roundhouse
3 October 2026
By 1986, Queen had stadium performance down to a fine art. Their Budapest concert that year – part of the legendary Magic Tour, which would prove to be Mercury's last with the band – captured them at full, glorious throttle.
The newly remastered concert film is being given a London outing at the Roundhouse, complete with DJ sets, memorabilia and plenty of opportunity to experience Queen as they were intended: very loud and in the company of a crowd. Expect the likes of Bohemian Rhapsody, We Are The Champions and I Want To Break Free – and a frontman demonstrating precisely why nobody has ever quite replaced him.
Queen By Candlelight, Liverpool Cathedral
5 September 2026
For a different rendition of the back catalogue, head to Liverpool Cathedral on Mercury's birthday itself. A cast of West End singers and a live rock band will take on Queen's greatest hits beneath the cathedral's soaring Gothic arches, illuminated by candlelight.
Expect everything from It's A Kind Of Magic and Who Wants To Live Forever to the inevitable Bohemian Rhapsody. Subtle it will not be – but then subtlety was hardly the Mercury way.
Support The Mercury Phoenix Trust
Finally, there is a way to celebrate Mercury that looks forward as well as back. Following his death from AIDS-related bronchial pneumonia in November 1991, Brian May, Roger Taylor and Queen's manager Jim Beach founded the Mercury Phoenix Trust in his memory.
More than three decades later, it continues to raise money for HIV/AIDS projects around the world. The official 80th birthday gala in Montreux on 5 September is being held in its aid – and although tickets have sold out, a donation feels a particularly fitting way to mark the birthday of a man whose legacy extends far beyond the music.
FAQs
When would Freddie Mercury have turned 80?
Freddie Mercury was born Farrokh Bulsara on 5 September 1946 in Stone Town, Zanzibar. He would have celebrated his 80th birthday on 5 September 2026.
What is Freddie Mercury | Splendid Things at the V&A?
It is a free trail through the V&A South Kensington featuring eight looks worn by Mercury during his career, including costumes associated with some of his most famous performances and music videos. It opens on 24 October 2026 and runs until 17 January 2027.
Is the Freddie Mercury V&A exhibition free?
Yes. Freddie Mercury | Splendid Things is free and does not require a ticket.
What is Freddie Mercury: A Life In Lyrics?
Published to coincide with Mercury's 80th anniversary, A Life In Lyrics draws on the creative archive he left to Mary Austin. It includes handwritten lyrics, drafts, drawings, photographs and previously unseen material, as well as Austin's memories of Mercury.
Where did Freddie Mercury live in Montreux?
Mercury had an apartment overlooking Lake Geneva in Montreux and spent considerable time there while Queen recorded at Mountain Studios. A bronze statue of him now stands on the town's waterfront and has become a place of pilgrimage for fans.
When did Freddie Mercury die?
Freddie Mercury died at his Kensington home on 24 November 1991, aged 45, from bronchial pneumonia resulting from AIDS.
