Ozzy Osbourne‘s widow, Sharon Osbourne, was in tears as she joined their children to say their final goodbyes to the music legend in Birmingham.
The heavy metal star, who died aged 76, was remembered with a special send-off at Black Sabbath Bridge in Birmingham, the city where he was born. Tens of thousands of fans were there for Osbourne’s procession.
Overcome with emotion, the widow held her children’s hands during the funeral procession as they stopped to see the tributes left by fans. They were all dressed in black as they paid their respects to the late husband and father, Ozzy Osbourne.
Ozzy Osbourne’s family at his funeral
The Osbourne family — including children Jack, Kelly and Aimee — added their own floral tributes, alongside the many left by fans at Black Sabbath Bridge. Ozzy’s rarely-seen son from his first marriage to Thelma Riley, Louis, put on a united front with the family.
In a touching moment, Sharon was seen laying a bouquet of blooming red roses among the sea of flowers.
The former X Factor judge also hugged Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Zafar Iqbal.
Ozzy’s hearse was decorated with purple flowers which spelt out his name.
The funeral procession journey saw the hearse carrying the Black Sabbath musician’s coffin pass his childhood home in Lodge Road, Aston, at about 12.45pm. Flowers decorated outside the terraced property, close to Villa Park.
The funeral procession was made up of the Jaguar hearse and six Mercedes funeral cars, accompanied by police motorcycle riders and a police car.
Then the Osbourne’s hearse made its way along Broad Street in the city centre at 1pm, heading to the Black Sabbath Bridge and bench. It was the location where many Black Sabbath fans paid tribute to the musician with flowers and pictures of the legend.
Some fans have travelled as far as Mexico, the USA and Poland to lay out tributes.
Fans — many wearing Ozzy Osbourne T-shirts — arrived earlier in the day, near the Black Sabbath Bridge bench on Broad Street in Birmingham, to pay tribute to the Black Sabbath singer. Posters were also held up in the musician’s memory. Black Sabbath music was played and the people lining the streets shouted, “Ozzy Ozzy Ozzy”.
Earlier on Wednesday, Lulu made a plea to Sharon Osbourne on live TV. She urged the former X Factor judge to call her.
The singer said on Lorraine: “I wanna say, Sharon, I know you won’t be watching but if anyone is watching, Melinda, can you call me? I know they’re busy but I want to get hold of you guys because I really, really want to be there to support Sharon.”
Ozzy Osbourne’s death came three weeks after he gave his farewell gig, Back to the Beginning, at Villa Park in Birmingham alongside his bandmates Tony Iommi, Bill Ward and Geezer Butler.
He died aged 76 at his Buckinghamshire home, surrounded by his family. The family statement said: “It is with more sadness than mere words can convey that we have to report that our beloved Ozzy Osbourne has passed away this morning. He was with his family and surrounded by love.”
Osbourne was a father of six and a grandfather to 10. He had three children from his first marriage to Thelma Riley – Jessica, Louis and Elliot (he adopted Elliot, Thelma’s son from a previous relationship) – and another three with his wife Sharon: Aimee, Kelly and Jack.
His daughter Kelly Osbourne has spoken out to share a tribute to her dad. “I feel unhappy, I am so sad,” she wrote. “I lost the best friend I ever had.”
Sharon helped ensure her husband’s last important wish came true, that he spent the rest of his life with his family.
In May, Ozzy Osbourne gave an interview to The Guardian where he said: “It’s time for me to spend some time with my grandkids, I don’t want to die in a hotel room somewhere. I want to spend the rest of my life with my family.”
The funeral procession was a celebration of Osbourne’s life. Local musicians Bostin’ Brass performed to give him a final send-off. The event took place ahead of a private funeral.
Ahead of the funeral, The Lord Mayor of Birmingham Zafar Iqbal said: “Ozzy was more than a music legend — he was a son of Birmingham.
“Having recently been awarded the Freedom of the City and following his celebrated appearance at the Back to the Beginning concert at Villa Park earlier this month, it was important to the city that we support a fitting, dignified tribute ahead of a private family funeral.
“We know how much this moment will mean to his fans. We’re proud to host it here with his loving family in the place where it all began, and we are grateful that they have generously offered to pay to enable this to happen and support the city is giving him the farewell he deserves.”
Broad Street was closed to traffic from 7am on Wednesday. It is expected to reopen after Osbourne’s funeral has finished.
Those unable to attend in person could watch a livestream of the Black Sabbath bench.
There is a book of condolence open at the Birmingham Museum and Art Gallery, where the Ozzy Osbourne Working Class Hero exhibition is.
What did Ozzy Osbourne want for his funeral?
Osbourne had previously shared some of the ideas he would like to see in his funeral.
He said it was a good idea to do a “bit of planning” when it came to your own funeral before you die. Back then, the Prince of Darkness shared his desire for his funeral to be a time to “say thanks”.
In 2011, Osbourne told The Times: “I do want to make sure it’s a celebration, not a mope-fest.
“I’d also like some pranks: maybe the sound of knocking inside the coffin; or a video of me asking my doctor for a second opinion on his diagnosis of “death”. There’ll be no harping on the bad times…
“It’s worth remembering that a lot of people see nothing but misery their whole lives. So by any measure, most of us in this country — especially rock stars like me — are very lucky. That’s why I don’t want my funeral to be sad.”
Initially, Osbourne said he didn’t care what music they played at his funeral — whether it was Justin Bieber or Susan Boyle. However, he had a change of heart five years later when he named The Beatles’ song ‘A Day In The Life’ as the tune he wanted played.
In 2016, he told NME: “I really need a few more years to think this over, but probably something from ‘Sgt. Pepper’s Lonely Hearts Club Band’ or ‘Revolver’. I definitely don’t want my f**king greatest hits album – I never ever play that thing, I’m f**king embarrassed about it. And I definitely don’t want a f**king happy song — I’m dead.”