Black Sabbath frontman Ozzy Osbourne’s daughter Kelly Osbourne has said she ‘aches every single day’ and misses her father ‘with every part of my soul’ on the first anniversary of his death.
The singer, known as the Prince of Darkness, died aged 76 in July last year just over two weeks after his Back to the Beginning farewell concert, where he was reunited onstage with his bandmates.
His youngest daughter shared a lengthy and emotional tribute to Instagram on Wednesday, addressed to her late father.
Alongside a black and white photo of him laughing in his younger years, the 41-year-old wrote: ‘One year ago today, the world changed forever.
‘Today, I sit here beside you in a way I never thought would be possible. I know you are still with me.
‘I feel you in the quiet, in the wind, in every song that stops me in my tracks, is (sic) the smell of your cologne and in every moment that love outweighs grief. You are all around me.’
Kelly detailed how living without her father ‘has been the hardest thing I have ever had to endure’ and said: ‘Now all I have are memories.
‘But my God, what beautiful memories they are. Even through all the madness we lived through, you somehow made every moment worthwhile.’
The TV star, who is also an actress, recounted fond memories with her father as she continued: ‘I have never loved anyone or anything as deeply as uniquely as I love you.
‘And now I carry all of that love with nowhere to place it except within me, my son, and mumma.
‘It aches every single day, but it is also the greatest privilege of my life. To have loved someone so completely.’
The reality star also shared that she wished her father could see ‘the little man’ her son Sidney is becoming, adding: ‘Every single day I catch glimpses of you in him. Your smile. Your spirit. Your mannerisms.
‘Sometimes it stops me in my tracks because it feels as though you’ve found a way to remind me that love never truly leaves us.
‘Seeing you reflected in him is one of the greatest gifts I have ever been given.’
The former Fashion Police star, who recorded the single Changes with her dad in 2003, hailed the impact Ozzy had on the world, adding: ‘You changed lives simply by being yourself and the beautiful timeless music you created.’
She also praised her father’s background, having come from a working-class neighbourhood in Birmingham, and said he ‘never forgot what he came from’.
‘You made people believe that life could be better because of the way you lived yours. With honesty, loyalty, courage, humour, and a heart bigger than anyone realised. There will never be another you.
‘You carried something extraordinary inside you, a kind of magic that felt heaven-sent, and I will spend the rest of my life feeling grateful that I got to call you my daddy.’
‘This past year has broken me in ways I never knew were possible,’ she admitted.
‘Music may live forever, but what our family created our bond, our laughter, our unwavering love is eternal. Death could never take that from us.’
Kelly ended the emotional tribute by saying how much she loves and misses Ozzy, whilst thanking him for ‘being my daddy’ and ‘making me who I am’.
The music icon died of a reported heart attack on July 22 after suffering a string of health issues over the years, including multiple surgeries following a fall in February 2019 and being diagnosed with Parkinson’s disease.
Black Sabbath formed in 1968 and are widely credited with defining and popularising the sound of heavy metal.
Osbourne also had a successful solo career and appeared in 2000s reality TV series The Osbournes alongside his wife Sharon and their two youngest children, Kelly and her brother Jack, 40.
On the first anniversary of his death Ozzy was also remembered by his widow Sharon, who encouraged fans to ‘remember how funny he was – funny and charismatic and real’ in an interview with BBC Radio West Midlands.
She added: ‘He was authentic. He never tried to be anything other than what he was, and he would tell you the truth about everything and that was him, you knew where you were with him.’
Sharon also said that she ‘can’t forget what Birmingham did for Ozzy,’ as she fought back tears.
‘(It’s) such a huge part of my kids and me and everything. And it’s who my husband is, what he is. And will always be.’
The city is holding its first Ozzy Day with a free celebration of the homegrown cultural hero, who was born and raised in the Aston area, through a programme of live music, public art, special performances and shared moments.
Last year, Osbourne’s funeral procession made its way through the centre of Birmingham ahead of a private service, with thousands of fans lining the street to honour him and support his family.
It stopped on Black Sabbath Bridge, where a bench with images of the band’s members was turned into a makeshift memorial and covered with flowers.
Son Jack had also posted to social media ahead of the anniversary of his dad’s death, reflecting on the ‘ups and downs’ of the month leading up to it.
He also revealed he hadn’t been sure how he’d mark it as ‘the first one for me’, before then asking his followers to ‘share a story about my dad’.
‘That’s what I want, I want to fill the entire day of July 22 with just awesome Ozzy stories,’ the I’m A Celebrity star added, reassuring everyone that his father would have preferred ‘sharing the love’ over sadness as he ‘didn’t like anyone crying in front of him’.
Jack and wife Aree also named their youngest daughter, born in March, Ozzy in honour of the late star.
Billy Morrison, who is a guitarist for rocker Billy Idol, also joined in the tributes for the anniversary, sharing a photo of himself with his close friend and frequent collaborator Ozzy to Instagram.
He wrote: ‘I can’t believe it’s been a year. I miss you mate.’