In the summer of 2002, Queen Elizabeth II celebrated her Golden Jubilee, a momentous occasion marking her 50th year on the British throne. The festivities were a wild mix of tradition and eccentricity.
Imagine Big Ben chiming in perfect time with flashing golden lights on Tower Bridge, while towns across the country blared the Beatles’ “All You Need Is Love” in unison. But amidst these quirky celebrations, one event truly stood out: Ozzy Osbourne, the godfather of heavy metal, gracing Buckingham Palace with a performance.
Yes, you read that right. The “Prince of Darkness” himself, known for his electrifying stage presence and, well, bats, received a royal invitation to perform a Black Sabbath classic.
Ozzy Rocks The Palace
Ozzy wasn’t your typical choice for a royal celebration. On June 3rd of that year, he joined the “Party At The Palace” mini-festival, honoring the Queen’s Golden Jubilee. The lineup was a mix of British pop royalty – Annie Lennox, Emma “Baby Spice” Bunton, and even Paul McCartney.
But Ozzy, known for his onstage antics and, well, a certain fondness for bats, stood out as a wild card. And Ozzy knew it. He later recounted the experience to Classic Rock magazine in 2008.
He described the venue’s unusual list of rules, filled with instructions to avoid “foul language” and “abusive terms”. The heavy metal pioneer joked, “I’m thinking, I’m sure this ain’t for anybody else. ‘Don’t chase the animals’. ‘Don’t throw anything in the lake’… unless you’ve got a brick tied to your neck.”
A Supergroup Of British Rock Titans
The Black Sabbath frontman wasn’t alone in his unlikely royal performance, though. He was joined by his former bandmate, guitarist Tony Iommi. This reunion was particularly special as Black Sabbath had just reformed in 1997.
For the “Paranoid” performance, they were backed by the concert’s house band, and who should be on drums but the legendary Phil Collins. The three titans of British rock – Ozzy, Tony, and Phil – shredded through the Black Sabbath classic in front of the Queen herself, along with Prince Philip, Prince Charles, and the rest of the royal family.
This truly historic performance cemented its place in rock and roll royalty. Be sure to check out the video below to witness this epic collaboration!