Elton’s tears over Freddie’s final gift

ELTON John recalled the ‘agonising’ last months of Freddie Mercury’s life and the final Christmas gift he received from the Queen star in an unearthed extract from his book. The Grammy-winning singer, 71, said that he was devastated after he heard the news that his close friend had contracted Aids shortly after his diagnosis.

Despite his extravagant stage persona, Freddie was a very private man and didn’t publicly announce that he had Aids until the day before he died. He passed away on November 24, 1991, aged 45.

In his 2013 book, Love Is The Cure: On Life, Loss And The End of Aids, Elton wrote: ‘He knew death, agonising death, was coming. But Freddie was incredibly courageous. He kept up appearances, he kept performing with Queen, and he kept being the funny, outrageous and profoundly generous person he had always been.’

The Rocket Man singer said that watching Freddie deteriorate in the last years of his life was unbearable, adding that his body was covered with Kaposi’s sarcoma lesions.

Although Freddie, subject of the hit film Bohemian Rhapsody, should have spent those days concerned with his own health, he in fact spent it caring for those around him and continued to record Queen’s Made In Heaven album.

Weeks after his death, when Elton was dealing with the loss of Freddie, he was given one last gift by his friend.

A friend knocked on Elton’s door and handed him a gift, wrapped in just a pillowcase. Inside was a painting by Henry Scott Tuke, one of his favourite artists.

During their friendship, Freddie and Elton had given each other drag queen names: Elton was Sharon and Freddie was Melina.

A note attached to the present read: ‘Dear Sharon, I thought you’d like this. Love, Melina. Happy Christmas.’

Elton said he was overcome with emotion at the thoughtful gift from his friend, who spent his final days finding a Christmas present for the Your Song star.