Richard Branson Shares Heartbreaking News Following the Death of His Wife

Richard Branson has announced the passing of his wife, Joan Templeman, who died at the age of 80.

The Virgin Group founder shared the emotional news in a tribute posted to Instagram, describing Joan as “my best friend, my rock, my guiding light, my world.”

“Heartbroken to share that Joan, my wife and partner for 50 years, has passed away,” Branson wrote. “She was the most wonderful mum and grandmum our children and grandchildren could have ever wished for.”

No cause of death was shared.

A Love Story That Spanned Decades

Branson, now 75, first met Joan in 1976 and famously described it as love at first sight. The couple married in 1989 in a private ceremony on Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands, a place that held deep meaning for their family.

Together, they had three children — Holly and Sam — and also mourned the loss of their first daughter, Clare, who tragically passed away just four days after birth in 1979.

A Quiet Strength Behind the Scenes

While Branson became one of the world’s most recognizable entrepreneurs, Joan chose a much more private life. She rarely sought the spotlight, with Branson once describing her as deeply grounded and intentionally out of the public eye.

“She has always been keen to avoid attention,” he wrote in a past blog post, noting that her quiet nature was part of what made her so special.

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Remembered With Love

For those who followed their story, Joan was seen as Branson’s steady presence — a calm force behind a life that was anything but ordinary.

Their five-decade partnership remains a testament to deep love, loyalty, and family above all.