Ozzy Osbourne’s first wife is Thelma Riley, an English woman from Birmingham who worked at a local nightclub when they met. Her exact date of birth has never been publicly confirmed.
Ozzy Osbourne was the lead singer of Black Sabbath, a solo star and the “Prince of Darkness” of heavy metal. He died on July 22, 2025, at age 76. Millions know his second wife, Sharon Osbourne, from the reality show The Osbournes. Far fewer people know about the woman he married first.
If you searched for the ozzy osbourne first wife story, this guide covers who Thelma is, how she met Ozzy, why the marriage ended and what we know about her children. It also explains why she has stayed out of the spotlight for decades.
Who Is Thelma Riley, Ozzy Osbourne’s First Wife?
Thelma Riley, sometimes listed as Thelma Mayfair, is an English woman from the Birmingham area. She was already a young mother when she met Ozzy. Her son Elliot Kingsley was born from an earlier relationship, and Ozzy later adopted him.
Her date of birth is not confirmed by any reliable source. Some websites list a 1954 birth date, but that doesn’t fit the timeline. Elliot was born around 1966, so those pages appear to be wrong. Because of this, we leave her exact age out of this article.
Thelma was not a celebrity before she met Ozzy, and she never tried to become one. Little is public about her childhood or schooling. Some fan sites claim she was a teacher, but no major source confirms it, so we don’t present it as fact.
What is clear is that she grew up in working-class Birmingham. This is the same city that shaped Ozzy and the whole Black Sabbath sound. She has never given a major interview about her life, and she has kept her private life closed for more than forty years.
Thelma Riley’s Career and Professional Life
Thelma never had a public career in entertainment. Reports say she worked at the Rum Runner, a well-known nightclub in Birmingham, when she met Ozzy. The club was a popular spot for musicians and young people in the early 1970s.
After her marriage, Thelma’s life centered on her children and her home while Ozzy’s career took off. Black Sabbath released their debut album in 1970. Their fame grew very fast, and Ozzy spent long periods on tour.
Since the divorce, Thelma has not appeared in documentaries, written a book or sold her story to the press. There are no known businesses, brand deals or paid media projects connected to her.
Her net worth is not public. Any figure you see online is a guess. Reports say she has lived quietly for decades. One magazine story noted that a neighbor had no idea she had once been married to a rock legend. That tells you a lot about how private she has stayed.
How Did Ozzy Osbourne and Thelma Riley Meet?
Ozzy and Thelma met in 1971 at the Rum Runner nightclub in Birmingham, where she worked. Ozzy described the meeting in his 2010 memoir, I Am Ozzy. At the time, Black Sabbath was becoming a major name in rock music.
The romance moved very fast. Several sources say they married within months of meeting. Ozzy was in his early twenties, living the chaotic life of a young rock singer. Thelma was a young mother with a small son.
Ozzy took on a stepfather role from the start. He later adopted Elliot, which shows he treated the boy as his own.
There is no long dating timeline or dramatic engagement story on record. The couple appear to have gone from meeting to marriage in a matter of months. That speed fits the story of Ozzy’s early life, when success, money and fame arrived almost overnight.
Ozzy Osbourne’s First Wife: Marriage and Wedding Details
Ozzy and Thelma married in 1971 in England. Public records and major reports agree on the year, but there are few details about the ceremony. No famous guest list, big venue or glossy photo spread is known. Given the couple’s age and the time, it was probably a small, simple wedding.
The marriage lasted roughly eleven years, from 1971 to 1982. For much of that time, Ozzy was on the road or deep in the music scene. Drinking and drug use became a serious problem for him during the 1970s.
Ozzy later admitted he was not a good husband. He took responsibility for the marriage falling apart. In 1979, he was fired from Black Sabbath. Around then, he grew closer to Sharon Arden, the daughter of his manager Don Arden. Sharon became his manager and later his partner.
The divorce was finalized in 1982. Ozzy and Sharon married on July 4, 1982, in Maui, Hawaii.
Children and Family Life of Ozzy Osbourne’s First Wife
Ozzy and Thelma have two biological children together:
- Jessica Osbourne, born in 1972
- Louis Osbourne, born in 1975
Ozzy also adopted Elliot Kingsley, Thelma’s son from an earlier relationship. This means Ozzy had three children from his first marriage. He later had three more, Aimee, Kelly and Jack, with Sharon.
After the divorce, Thelma raised her children mostly away from the public eye. Her kids grew up in the shadow of a world-famous father, but their mother’s life stayed quiet.
Ozzy’s death brought the family back into the news. Major outlets noted that he was survived by Sharon and six children, including the three from his first marriage. Thelma has not made a public statement of her own.
Her approach to fame is clear. She chose privacy over publicity. This is rare for someone linked to one of rock’s biggest names.
Is Thelma Riley on Social Media?
There is no verified public social media account for Thelma Riley. She does not appear to have an official Instagram, X or Facebook page that is confirmed to be hers. Be careful with fan pages or accounts using her name. Many are not real.
That also means there is no follower count to share. She does not post photos, share family updates or promote anything online.
For readers who want updates on the family, the better place to look is the accounts of Ozzy’s children and the official Osbourne family channels. Even there, Thelma is rarely mentioned. Her choice to stay offline fits the pattern of her whole life after the divorce.
Quick Facts: Ozzy Osbourne’s First Wife
| Detail | Info |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Thelma Riley (also listed as Thelma Mayfair) |
| Date of Birth | Not publicly confirmed |
| Nationality | English (British) |
| Profession | Worked at the Rum Runner nightclub, Birmingham; no public career |
| Married to | Ozzy Osbourne |
| Marriage Year | 1971 (divorced 1982) |
| Children | Jessica (b. 1972), Louis (b. 1975); adopted son Elliot Kingsley |
| Net Worth | Not publicly known |
FAQ: Ozzy Osbourne’s First Wife
Q: What is Ozzy Osbourne’s first wife’s name?
A: Ozzy Osbourne’s first wife was Thelma Riley. They were married from 1971 until their divorce in 1982.
Q: How old is Thelma Riley?
A: Her exact birth date has not been publicly confirmed. Some websites list 1954, but that does not match the known timeline of her family.
Q: What does Thelma Riley do for a living?
A: She worked at the Rum Runner nightclub in Birmingham when she met Ozzy. She has no known public career today and lives privately.
Q: When did Ozzy Osbourne and Thelma Riley get married?
A: They married in 1971, shortly after meeting in Birmingham. The marriage ended in divorce in 1982.
Q: How many kids do Ozzy Osbourne and Thelma Riley have?
A: They have two biological children, Jessica and Louis. Ozzy also adopted Thelma’s son, Elliot Kingsley.
Conclusion
Thelma Riley is the woman who stood beside Ozzy Osbourne before the fame, the reality TV and the legend. She was a young mother who met a rising singer in a Birmingham nightclub, married him and raised a family during the wildest years of his career.
The story of Ozzy Osbourne’s first wife is a reminder that every famous life has quieter chapters. Thelma chose to keep hers private, and her children carry her story forward. For Ozzy’s fans, she remains an important part of the beginning of his journey.
