King Charles III has earned praise from fans of the late Ozzy Osbourne after honoring the Black Sabbath frontman in a way few expected. The rocker, who passed away on 22 July at the age of 76, was laid to rest on Wednesday, 30 July, in his hometown of Birmingham.
Osbourne’s death came just weeks after he shared an emotional farewell with fans at a reunion show with his bandmates. Performing from a black throne at Villa Park on 5 July, he thanked the 42,000-strong crowd, saying, “You’ve no idea how I feel – thank you from the bottom of my heart.”
A royal gesture at Buckingham Palace
@about.london The Band of the Coldstream Guards perform “Paranoid” by Black Sabbath at Changing of the Guard today. RIP to Ozzy Osbourne the “Prince of Darkness” #guard #kingsguard #ozzyosbourne #blacksabbath #paranoid #heavymetal #rockband #london #buckinghampalace #fyp
While Birmingham mourned its hometown hero as his funeral procession moved through the city, a remarkable tribute was taking place hundreds of miles away in London. During the Changing of the Guard ceremony at Buckingham Palace, the Band of the Coldstream Guards played an orchestral version of Black Sabbath’s classic hit Paranoid.
The performance quickly went viral on TikTok, with clips showing the guards delivering the heavy metal anthem in their unique style. Fans around the world were moved by the unexpected moment. Comments poured in, with one fan writing, “This is awesome. Proudest I’ve felt of this country for about 15 years.” Another added, “Ozzy would have been so proud to see this.”
Many were amazed that a musician once considered an outsider could be celebrated so publicly by the royal household. “If you told Ozzy this would happen, he would never have believed it,” one fan noted. “A delinquent from Birmingham being honored by Buckingham Palace – incredible.”
Fans thank the King for a unique farewell
Social media was flooded with gratitude and admiration for King Charles. Users described the tribute as historic, with some noting they had never seen a musician honored in this way. “Wow Buckingham Palace tribute? That speaks volumes,” one fan wrote. Others simply thanked the King, calling the gesture “cool” and “so fitting for a legend.”
Whether or not King Charles is a heavy metal fan remains unknown, but the heartfelt tribute struck a chord worldwide. For many, it was a perfect send-off for the man known as the Prince of Darkness – a reminder that Ozzy Osbourne’s influence will continue to resonate far beyond the world of rock music.
