The couple had been married for 50 years.

Sir Richard Branson is mourning an unthinkable loss. On Tuesday, the Virgin founder revealed that his wife of five decades, Lady Joan Branson, has died.

Posting a deeply emotional message on social media, he wrote: “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 x.”

**A Love Story That Began in a London Shop**

For half a century, Joan Templeman was Branson’s anchor—a fiercely private woman who stayed away from the spotlight even as her husband built one of the world’s most recognizable business empires. Just last week, Branson shared a tender photo of himself kissing Joan’s head with the caption: “Everyone needs a Joan in their life.”

Branson often described their relationship as love at first sight. He first met Joan in West London in the 1970s, where she worked in a small bric-a-brac shop. He once recalled hovering around the store buying “countless objects” just for the chance to see her again, later writing that he “fell for Joan almost from the moment I saw her.”

They married in 1989 on Necker Island, the Caribbean escape Branson famously bought as a romantic gesture when they were only a couple of years into dating. “We were still in the early days of Virgin Records and I definitely did not have the cash to buy it—but try telling that to a fool in love!” he admitted.

The couple had three children: Holly, Sam, and Clare Sarah, who tragically passed away just four days after being born prematurely.

**A Life Lived Quietly, But Deeply**

Despite spending decades beside one of the world’s most recognizable entrepreneurs, Joan avoided public attention. “From the beginning Joan was a very private person, and the over four decades we have been together she has remained so,” Branson once explained. She rarely gave interviews, not participating in one until 2016 for a documentary about his ballooning adventures.

Lady Joan celebrated her 80th birthday this summer. Branson shared a loving tribute at the time: “Thank you for being by my side through it all—the highs, the lows, and all those quiet, content and peaceful moments in between.”

Now, Branson grieves the woman he called his foundation—his partner, confidante, and greatest source of steadiness. Her loss marks the end of a remarkable 50-year partnership built on devotion, resilience, and unwavering support.