Heartbreak in Birmingham: Kelly Osbourne Fights Back Tears at Father Ozzy Osbourne’s Funeral Procession
On a grey Wednesday in Birmingham, the birthplace of heavy metal and home to one of its most iconic sons, Kelly Osbourne walked solemnly behind her father’s hearse, surrounded by family and memories too heavy to carry alone. The funeral procession of Ozzy Osbourne, who passed away on July 22 at the age of 76, was as poignant as it was powerful — a quiet, emotional moment in the city where his legend first began.
Kelly, 39, was visibly shaken as she accompanied the hearse along Lodge Road in Aston, the street where Ozzy was born and raised. Wearing black and hiding behind dark sunglasses, she clung tightly to her mother, Sharon Osbourne, who appeared utterly heartbroken. It was Sharon’s first public appearance since her husband’s passing, and her grief was evident. As the procession continued, Kelly’s emotions overwhelmed her — her tears no longer hidden — and she was comforted by her brother Jack, who placed a hand on her back as the family pressed on.
The Jaguar hearse, followed by six black Mercedes funeral cars and escorted by a solemn police convoy, moved slowly past Ozzy’s childhood home. Outside the modest terraced house near Villa Park, fans had laid flowers, handwritten notes, and tributes. A photo of Ozzy beamed from the front bay window — a reminder that the man who sold out stadiums around the world had started right there, among the bricks of Aston.
The procession then made its way through Broad Street, eventually pausing at the famed Black Sabbath bench — a permanent tribute to the band that started it all. Here, fans had gathered in quiet reverence, their arms full of flowers, balloons, and black-clad grief. The streets were not lined with massive crowds or paparazzi flashes, but rather a gentle stillness — a sign of the deep respect Birmingham holds for its native son.
Just days before, Kelly had broken her silence with a raw and simple message on Instagram Stories: “I feel unhappy. I am so sad. I lost the best friend I ever had.” Her words echoed the heartbreak of so many who grew up with Ozzy not only as a rock icon but as a symbol of defiance, transformation, and resilience.
Ozzy’s family shared a public statement after his death, revealing he passed “surrounded by love” and asking for privacy. His final wishes, however, had long been known. In a 2011 interview with The Times, Ozzy made it clear he didn’t want a funeral draped in sorrow. “There’ll be no harping on the bad times,” he said. “I want my funeral to be a time to say ‘thanks.’”
And while Wednesday’s procession was quiet and steeped in mourning, it was also a reflection of Ozzy’s enduring humility — a celebration of a man who lived hard, loved deeply, and never forgot where he came from.
His final performance at Villa Park Stadium just weeks ago now feels even more significant. It was a triumphant last roar in the city that raised him. And now, as that city says goodbye, it does so not with blaring amps and screaming fans, but with stillness, tears, and gratitude.
For Kelly Osbourne, the grief was written across her face. For Birmingham, it was written in every flower laid at Ozzy’s feet. And for the world, it was felt in the silence left by a voice that once shook the foundations of rock.
As the hearse rolled onward, past the neighborhoods that shaped a legend, one thing was clear: Ozzy Osbourne may have left this world, but he will never leave its heart.