Royal fans gush over 'fantastic' tribute to Ozzy Osbourne at Buckingham Palace
Rock legend Ozzy Osbourne died on July 22
Royal fans have praised a powerful and unexpected tribute to Ozzy Osbourne, as royal guards performed a rendition of Black Sabbath’s “Paranoid” at Buckingham Palace amid the rock legend’s funeral.
Fan footage shared to TikTok on July 30 showed the Band of the Coldstream Guards, one of the king’s elite military units, playing the iconic heavy metal anthem during the Changing of the Guard ceremony.
This week, Ozzy’s funeral procession took place in Birmingham.
King Charles’ tribute to Ozzy Osbourne
“This is awesome. Proudest I’ve felt of this country for about 15 years,” one commenter wrote under the viral video.
“This is Britishness at its best,” another said. “RIP Ozzy.”
Others took to Twitter to express their admiration for the royal tribute.
“Fantastic tribute to our #OzzyOsbourne,” one fan commented.
Another gushed: “You won’t believe what the King’s Guard did outside Buckingham Palace. They traded their traditional tunes for an epic Black Sabbath tribute, and the crowd’s reaction was priceless.”
“From one king to another. RIP Ozzy,” one commenter added.
From one King to another. RIP Ozzy.
“Fantastic! Goosebumps all over,” another agreed.
The Changing of the Guard is one of the monarchy’s most famous traditions, where soldiers rotate duties with a full ceremonial display and music by the palace band.
The routine often features traditional marches and patriotic songs. Therefore, the surprise switch to a rock classic in honour of Ozzy was hailed as a historic moment.
Ozzy Osbourne, dubbed the Prince of Darkness, died on July 22 at the age of 76.
His final live appearance came just weeks earlier, when he performed seated on a throne during a farewell concert in Birmingham, his hometown.
“That show meant everything,” a source told PEOPLE. “It brought his career full circle.”
Ozzy Osbourne and King Charles’ friendship
Despite his heavy metal image, Ozzy shared a warm rapport with the royal family over the years.
In 2002, he performed at the Queen’s Golden Jubilee concert at Buckingham Palace. In 2006, he met the then-Prince Charles at a reception for The Prince’s Trust at Clarence House.
Following Charles’ accession to the throne in 2022, Ozzy expressed his support for the new monarch. He even recalled a personal gesture from the king after his 2003 quad bike accident.
“He’s a very, very nice man,” Ozzy said in a 2022 interview with the New York Post. “He’s always treated me with the utmost respect. When I had my bike accident, he sent me a bottle of Scotch. I wish him all the best.”
Sharon Osbourne also shared that Charles sent a heartfelt letter during one of Ozzy’s later health battles.
“When my husband got sick, he wrote to him,” she said on TalkTV. “He’s the same age as Ozzy. And so he kind of gets it. He says, ‘We’ve done very well so far and this is just a little hurdle.'”
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