'She had eyes made of magic' - Richard Branson shares memories of Joan, his wife and partner of 50 years, as he announces her death

Joan Templeman, the wife of British billionaire and Virgin Atlantic founder Sir Richard Branson, has died at the age of 80.

Sharing the news on social media on Tuesday, November 25, Richard said, "Heartbroken to share that Joan, my wife and partner for 50 years, has passed away.

"She was the most wonderful mum and grandmum our kids and grandkids could have ever wished for.

"She was my best friend, my rock, my guiding light, my world. Love you forever, Joan."

The couple met in 1976 and married in 1989 at their private retreat in the Caribbean, Necker Island. They had three children together, Holly, 44, Sam, 40, and Clare Sarah, who died shortly after birth.

In a previous blog post written by Richard in 2020, he shared memories from the moment he met his wife and happy moments from the years that followed.

"I often make up my mind about someone within 30 seconds of meetings them, and I fell for Joan almost from the moment I saw her," Richard wrote.

When he first met Joan, she worked in an antiques shop in Notting Hill, close to the Virgin office at Vernon Yard. "She had eyes made of magic," he recalled.

Building up the courage to go inside and speak to her, he shared, "The shop sold old signs and advertisements, which I pretended to the shop owner, Liz, that I was fascinated by.

"Over the next few weeks, my visits to Joan amassed me an impressive collection of old hand-painted tin signs, which advertised anything from Hovis bread to Woodbine cigarettes."

Referring to Joan as his "constant rock," the entrepreneur said Joan was "always a steady source of wisdom and has played no small part in some of my better life decisions."

Delighted to find himself in a position to buy Necker Island after it had been unsuccessfully up for sale for a couple of years, Richard says purchasing it was "one of the best decisions I’ve ever made".

However, it didn't compare to the "very best" decision which was "when Joan and I got married on Necker 11 years later." He added that what followed was a "lifetime of love".

In a further blog, posted just after Joan's death, Richard's love for his wife remains so clear, while his grief is evident.

He says, "Holly, Sam, and I are all together now, doing our best to smile through the tears and to focus on all the good things she brought into our world. There are so many.

"What an incredible final year we all had together," he adds, reflecting on Joan's "Beautiful" 80th birthday celebration in Morocco.

He continues, "She lived so fully and joyfully, always thinking of others, always lifting everyone else up. To see her so happy in those last months is something we will treasure forever.

"We are devastated she is gone," he shares, while asserting he remains "far more grateful" for the life they shared and their "remarkable" children and grandchildren.

Richard concludes, "Joan was my everything, the shining star around which our family’s universe has always orbited. That light is not gone; it’s just taken on a new shape. It will guide us forward. And we will carry her with us, always."