Ozzy Osbourne's marriage with first wife before Sharon as he's laid to rest in hometown

Before Ozzy Osbourne earned his title as the 'Prince of Darkness' and became a worldwide rock legend, he was wedded to Thelma Riley, his first wife and mother to two of his children.

The late rocker, who tragically died at the age of 76, isbeing laid to rest today in his beloved Birmingham. Ozzy's private funeral is taking place just over a week after his sudden death.

His family, including wife Sharon Osbourne, have decided to give fans one last chance topay their respects to the legendary rocker as a special procession will head down Broad Street in the city.

The procession will pass Black Sabbath bridge and bench, where floral tributes have been laid out in their hundreds for the music icon. Ozzy was followed by his family - including wife Sharon - in the special procession that will be accompanied by a live brass band, Bostin' Brass.

The procession takes place from 1pm, with Broad Street closed to traffic from 7am. Ozzy's family are covering the costs, with the council helping with the road closure.

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Ozzy's wife Sharon, 72, will follow the procession. Sharon had been married to Ozzy for 43 years before his death last week. However, before the rocker found love with the former X Factor judge, Ozzy was previously married to Thelma.

He initially encountered Thelma in the late 1960s when she was employed as a teacher and Ozzy was still striving to make his mark in the music industry.

They tied the knot in 1971, amidst the early success of Black Sabbath, and prior to Ozzy falling madly in love with his second wife, Sharon.

Together, they had two children, Jessica and Louis, and Ozzy also adopted Thelma's son from a previous relationship, Elliot.

However, Ozzy candidly confessed in interviews that he was far from being an exemplary husband or father during his marriage to Thelma. His skyrocketing fame, coupled with heavy alcohol consumption and drug abuse, resulted in a tumultuous and unstable family life.

In his autobiography, Ozzy labelled their marriage as a 'mistake', confessing he wasn't present and was engulfed by his addictions.

The pair eventually split in 1982 and Ozzy later expressed remorse over how he treated Thelma and his children, recognising that his lifestyle at the time was destructive.

Whilst Thelma has largely stayed out of the limelight, her time with Ozzy represents a stormy but crucial chapter in his early personal life. Following the collapse of his marriage with Thelma, Ozzy quickly turned his attention to Sharon.

Sharon first crossed paths with Ozzy when her father managed Black Sabbath. The duo started dating in 1979 after Ozzy was booted from the rock band, and Sharon stepped in as his manager.

The pair exchanged vows in Maui, Hawaii, in 1982, but their marriage hit a rocky patch in 2016 following reports of Ozzy's four-year affair with a hair stylist. This led to a brief separation and Ozzy checking into rehab for sex addiction.

By the end of summer 2016, Sharon and Ozzy had reconciled and they renewed their vows in May 2017. They are parents to three children, daughters Aimée and Kelly, and son Jack.

Sharon, a Celebrity Big Brother legend, previously disclosed that she overdosed after discovering her husband's infidelity in 2016. The 72 year old telly star was left heartbroken upon learning about the Black Sabbath frontman's affair with hairdresser Michelle Pugh.

The alleged affair reportedly spanned four years from 2012 to 2016. Sharon shared her heartbreaking reaction to the affair during her Sharon Osbourne: Cut the Crap show in London.

The mum-of-three confessed she struggled to deal with the shocking news of Ozzy's betrayal and decided to call time on their 34-year marriage.

Sharon has opened up about the devastating moment she discovered her husband Ozzy's affair, which led her to attempt suicide by overdosing on pills.

Despite the heartbreak, Sharon forgave Ozzy months later and has since stood by him through numerous health struggles, including his Parkinson's diagnosis in 2020.

Speaking to Jane Moore on Loose Women last year, Sharon discussed the impact of the affair: "He always, always had groupies and I was so used to that.

"But when he knows the name of the person, where they live and where they work... it is a whole different thing as you are emotionally invested.

She also spoke candidly about her suicide attempt after learning of the affair, revealing: "I took, I don't know how many pills.

"I just thought 'My kids are older, they are fine and can take care of themselves'. So I took an overdose and locked myself in the bedroom. The maid tried to come in to clean room and saw me."

Ozzy's family revealed the announcement of his death on July 23 and it immediately sent shockwaves through the music industry.

The statement 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 privacy at this time. Sharon, Jack, Kelly, Aimee and Louis."

During his last weeks, film crews had been documenting Ozzy for the BBC program, Home To Roost. The series is now anticipated to air as a tribute to the legendary performer.

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