Louis Osbourne, one of Ozzy Osbourne’s six children, has made a quiet but meaningful tribute following the announcement of his father’s death.
The Black Sabbath frontman passed away earlier this week at the age of 76, with his family confirming he died surrounded by loved ones.
In a statement released by the Osbourne family, four of Ozzy’s children were named: Jack, Kelly, Aimee, and Louis.
The message read: “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. We ask everyone to respect our family’s privacy at this time. — Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis.”
Noticeably absent from the statement were Ozzy’s two eldest children from his first marriage to Thelma Riley: daughter Jessica and adopted son Elliot Kingsley. The reasons for their omission remain unclear.
Louis Osbourne, Ozzy’s youngest child from his marriage to Riley, was reportedly present during his father’s final hours. In the wake of his father’s passing, he changed his Facebook profile photo to a solid black screen, a symbolic gesture of mourning, per The Mirror.
Louis was previously seen in the family’s MTV reality show The Osbournes, appearing notably in the 2002 holiday episode A Very Ozzy Christmas. The programme, which chronicled the domestic life of the Osbourne family, brought widespread attention to the rock star’s personal world.
Speaking in a 2012 interview with Birmingham Live, Louis reflected on his relationship with Ozzy and his half-siblings. “I don’t travel half as much as I used to and they are in America,” he said at the time. “There is more chance of us seeing each other in a random New York hotel than us all getting round a table for a Sunday lunch. We meet on special occasions.”
He described his father as a devoted grandparent: “Dad usually calls on a Sunday afternoon for a catch-up and when he comes over to the UK we take the kids down. Dad is great, very much a doting grandad.”
Tributes from across the music world have poured in following Ozzy’s death. Fellow Black Sabbath members Tony Iommi, Geezer Butler, and Bill Ward expressed their sorrow.
Iommi, speaking to BBC Radio 4’s Today programme, said Ozzy had “really wanted” the chance to perform with the band again. “It was brilliant to be with all the guys again… it was good for all of us, and lovely to be able to get together for a final thing. We didn’t realise it was going to be this final.”
Ozzy made his final public appearance earlier this month during the Back to the Beginning concert at Villa Park in Birmingham.
Seated on a black throne, he addressed the crowd with emotion, saying, “It’s so good to be on this stage.”
The event marked a full-circle moment for the iconic frontman in the city where Black Sabbath was born.
Despite the circumstances, fans and fellow musicians continue to celebrate Ozzy’s legacy, not only as a pioneer of heavy metal, but as a figure who brought generations together through his music.