Remembering Ozzy Osbourne: A Tribute to the Prince of Darkness
The late Ozzy Osbourne, who passed away at the age of 76, was honored with a public funeral procession in his hometown of Birmingham. Family members Sharon, Kelly, and Jack Osbourne joined thousands of fans at the Black Sabbath Bridge to pay their respects during the livestreamed event. The memorial services will continue with a private ceremony on Thursday where Osbourne will be laid to rest in front of his family and close friends.
Osbourne's coffin was carried in a hearse adorned with a purple crucifix and flowers bearing his name as it made its way down Broad Street to the Black Sabbath Bridge. Sharon Osbourne, visibly emotional, along with her children, stopped to view fan tributes and lay flowers. The crowd chanted "Ozzy, Ozzy, Ozzy, oi oi oi!" and "Thank you, Ozzy" throughout the procession, while the Lord Mayor of Birmingham, Zafar Iqbal, also paid his respects.
The Black Sabbath Bench account streamed the event from an aerial view, and the Associated Press had a camera set up on the street, with both videos available for replay on YouTube. Osbourne will be laid to rest in a private ceremony at a church near his home in Gerrards Cross, Buckinghamshire, on Thursday.
Several musicians, including Sir Elton John, Tony Iommi, Bill Ward, Geezer Butler, James Hetfield from Metallica, Rob Trujillo, Yungblud, Marilyn Manson, Rob Zombie, Corey Taylor from Slipknot, and Zakk Wylde, were expected to attend the private funeral to bid their final farewells to Osbourne. The funeral is a somber occasion where friends and family will gather to pay their respects to the legendary musician.