Thelma Mayfair Riley is best known as the first wife of Black Sabbath singer Ozzy Osbourne.
Their marriage ran from 1971 to 1982, long before Ozzy’s death in July 2025. This article covers her age, her career, and the real reasons behind their split.
Who is Ozzy Osbourne’s First Wife Thelma Mayfair Riley?
Thelma Mayfair Riley was born in Birmingham, England, in 1954. She met Ozzy Osbourne in 1970 at the Rum Runner nightclub, where she worked as a waitress.
Ozzy was just beginning to find fame with Black Sabbath at the time. The pair married in 1971, right as the band’s career started taking off. He later called the relationship a terrible mistake in his memoir, I Am Ozzy.
Ozzy Osbourne died on July 22, 2025, at age 76. He had been the lead singer of Black Sabbath and one of the founding figures of heavy metal.
Thelma, meanwhile, stepped away from the music world after their divorce. She went on to build a career as a teacher, a path far removed from Ozzy’s touring life.
What is the age of Thelma Mayfair Riley?
Thelma Mayfair Riley was born on May 17, 1954, in Birmingham, England. That makes her 72 years old as of June 2026. She was born under the zodiac sign Taurus.
Details about her parents and siblings have never been made public. Thelma has kept her family background private for her entire life, even during her marriage to Ozzy.
What does Thelma Mayfair Riley do for a living?
Thelma worked several jobs before she settled into teaching. One of those jobs was as a waitress at the Rum Runner nightclub in Birmingham. That job is where she met Ozzy Osbourne in 1970.
She later trained as a teacher and taught at a school in Leicestershire, England. Multiple reports describe her as now retired from the classroom.
What happened to Thelma Riley and Ozzy Osbourne?
Thelma and Ozzy married in 1971, soon after meeting at the Rum Runner club. Ozzy’s career with Black Sabbath was rising fast at the time, and touring quickly became constant. The marriage lasted eleven years, from 1971 to 1982.
His drinking and drug use grew heavier as the band’s fame grew. As a result, stability at home became almost impossible to maintain.
Black Sabbath fired Ozzy in 1979 over his substance abuse problems. Three years later, Thelma filed for divorce, and Ozzy married Sharon Arden that same year.
Divorce Reasons
Thelma pointed to Ozzy’s addiction to drugs and alcohol as a central reason for the split. She also accused him of physical and emotional abuse during the marriage, according to later reports.
Ozzy himself admitted to cheating on Thelma with three women during a single hotel stay.
He later described himself as a selfish, self-centered husband during a televised interview. By his own account, his behavior pushed Thelma toward the end of the relationship.
How many kids does Ozzy Osbourne have with his first wife?
Thelma and Ozzy had two biological children together. Their daughter, Jessica Starshine Osbourne, was born in January 1972.
Their son, Louis John Osbourne, followed a few years later.
Ozzy also raised Elliot Kingsley, Thelma’s son from an earlier relationship, as his own. Elliot grew up alongside Jessica and Louis inside the Osbourne household.
What is the Net Worth of Thelma Riley?
Thelma Riley has never disclosed her finances in public. Several outlets reportedly estimate her net worth at somewhere between 500,000 and 1 million dollars.
That figure is a small fraction of Ozzy’s reported 220 million dollar fortune at the time of his death.
Reports suggest a divorce settlement, along with decades of teaching pay, built most of that wealth. Unlike many celebrity ex-spouses, she has avoided using her past marriage for financial gain.
Where is Thelma Riley now?
Thelma has lived a quiet, private life since her divorce from Ozzy. According to a 2025 Hello! Magazine report, some of her own neighbors had no idea she was once married to a rock star. She is now a grandmother of five.
Her son Louis has two children, Elijah and Maia. Her daughter Jessica has three children, Harry, Isabelle, and Kitty.
Thelma has made no public statements since Ozzy’s death in July 2025. She appears to have kept the same low profile she held for decades.
Frequently Asked Questions
Who is Thelma Mayfair Riley?
She is the first wife of rock singer Ozzy Osbourne, married to him from 1971 to 1982.
How old is Thelma Riley?
She was born on May 17, 1954, making her 72 years old as of June 2026.
Did Thelma Riley remarry after divorcing Ozzy Osbourne?
No public records confirm a second marriage for her.
How many children does Thelma Riley have?
She has two children with Ozzy, Jessica and Louis, plus a son named Elliot from an earlier relationship.
Is Thelma Riley still alive?
Yes, recent reports from 2025 and 2026 confirm she is alive and living privately in England.
The Bottom Line
Thelma Mayfair Riley built a life far from the rock and roll spotlight that defined Ozzy Osbourne’s career. She chose teaching over fame and privacy over public attention.
Their marriage ended in 1982, yet their two children carried the Osbourne name forward. Ozzy himself passed away in July 2025, decades after their divorce.
Thelma’s story remains a quiet contrast to the public chaos that followed Ozzy for most of his life.
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