“He was my big childhood hero along with Paul McCartney, but Queen’s ‘Jazz’ was my first real LP! Through my brother I got in touch with Queen and it became a love that would never go away.

And as it was then at a young age, a room full of Queen posters. My highlight was meeting Freddie and that actually happened twice!

I thought it was strange that this outspoken and energetic man on the stage backstage was such a shy and restrained man. I had no idea at the time that it would count for many big pop stars. Freddie patiently signed the pictures I had taken of him the day before and we had the picture together.

For years I had a very small discolored print of that photo because I had no more negatives, yesterday I found the two images. A photo with eyes closed and this one ….

We are now 35 years later, but Freddie will never be forgotten. And in those 35 years I have already captured many other icons.
But this was perhaps the greatest of all! “

William Rutten photographer

Courtesy Instagram Willian Rutten