It appears Ozzy Osbourne tried to trademark his iconic ‘Prince of Darkness’ moniker just weeks before he died.
According to a report from The Sun, the late Black Sabbath singer filed documents just days before his passing on 22 July.
Papers obtained by the publication reveal that Ozzy filed a request for his legendary nickname to be protected on 13 June.
Ozzy has been referred to as the ‘Prince of Darkness’ since his days in Black Sabbath. In a 2016 interview with NME, the singer said the nickname was born out of fans’ reactions to the band’s unique metal sound
© Redferns“When we started gigging way back when, as soon as we started playing this song’s opening chords, young girls in the audience would … freak out,” Osbourne said at the time. “They thought we were Satan’s … friends or something.”
Several other applications were filed on 1 August pertaining to claims around Goods and Services, such as “entertainment services, namely providing non-downloadable pre-recorded music via a website.”
© Getty ImagesThe news comes just weeks after the publication also reported that Black Sabbath had trademarked their name in virtual reality.
This may mean that the iconic group could appear as holograms, which ABBA, whose London show Voyage has been running since 2022, have done.
Ozzy’s passing
Ozzy Osbourne passed away at 76 on 22 July. The Black Sabbath singer will reportedly be buried close to a lake on the family’s sprawling 250-acre property in Birmingham.
The private funeral and burial followed an emotionally charged procession for Ozzy in his hometown of Birmingham. His wife, Sharon, was understandably distraught and took comfort in her children, who were all emotional as they said goodbye to their dad.
© Getty ImagesThe hearse carrying Ozzy’s coffin passed the star’s childhood home in Lodge Road in Aston on its route through Birmingham’s city centre as it passed thousands of mourning fans.
The Osbourne family in mourning
The singer’s daughter, Kelly Osbourne, took to Instagram to share a poignant statement on her dad’s passing.
In the Instagram story, Kelly, 40, wrote: “I’ve sat down to write this a hundred times and still don’t know if the words will ever feel like enough…but from the bottom of my heart, thank you,” she began, expressing her gratitude for all the people who’d paid tribute and shared love for Ozzy and his family.
© Getty Images“The love, support, and beautiful messages I’ve received from so many of you have truly helped carry me through the hardest moment of my life,” Kelly continued.
“Every kind word, every shared memory, every bit of compassion has meant more than I can ever explain.”
“Grief is a strange thing – it sneaks up on you in waves – I will not be ok for a while – but knowing my family are not alone in our pain makes a difference,” she continued in her heartbreaking tribute. “I’m holding on tight to the love, the light, and the legacy left behind.”
© InstagramAree Osbourne, Jack Osbourne’s wife since 2023, also took to Instagram to pen a tribute to her late father-in-law.
“I’m pretty sure I have the coolest father in law around, and the best papa to my kids,” she wrote. “The world got a rockstar but we got an ice lolly loving, goofy, big hearted guy who made us laugh like no other.”
She cherished Ozzy for always being “in my corner” and stated she was “forever thankful to him for raising my husband and blessing me w my family.”