United Kingdom, Jan. 15 -- A woman who claimed to be Freddie Mercury's secret daughter has died after a battle with a rare form of spinal cancer.

The woman - named only as B - has passed away at the age of 48 just months after her claims about the Queen legend were published by author Lesley Ann Jones revealed her existence in the book Love, Freddie, last summer.

B's widow - named only as Thomas - confirmed the sad news to the Daily Mail, telling the publication his wife died "peacefully after a long battle with chordoma, a rare spinal cancer, leaving two sons aged nine and seven ... B is now with her beloved and loving father in the world of thoughts. Her ashes were scattered to the wind over the Alps."

Writer Jones also expressed her...