Joan Templeman, Wife of Sir Richard Branson, Passes Away at 80
Joan Templeman, the wife of Sir Richard Branson, has passed away at the age of 80. The founder of Virgin Records shared the news in a heartfelt statement on his Instagram account on Tuesday.
“Heartbroken to share that Joan, my wife and partner for 50 years, has passed away,” Branson wrote, accompanying the message with a nostalgic photograph of his late wife.
Branson, 75, described Joan as the “most wonderful” mother and grandmother to their children and grandchildren. He expressed his deep affection, stating, “She was my best friend, my rock, my guiding light, my world. Love you forever, Joan x.”
The cause of her death has not been disclosed. The couple married in 1989 and had three children: Holly, 44, Sam, 40, and Clare, who tragically passed away just four days after birth.
In a 2019 interview with Page Six, Branson reflected on their loving relationship. He recounted how he was initially known as “Tagalong” because Joan was in a relationship with another man when they first met.
Branson shared how he ultimately won her over by inviting her to tour an island. “I thought, ‘Well how could I persuade her to come away with me for the weekend?’” he said. He contacted an estate agent, pretended to be interested in buying an island in the Virgin Islands, and secured a helicopter trip for the two of them.
“I then rang [Templeman] back and said, ‘I’ve got a spare ticket, would you like to come down?’ and so she did come down and we found this beautiful island where we live now,” he recounted.
During their trip, they flew over Necker Island, which eventually became their home. Branson recalled thinking that she would be the mother of his children and that they would live there together.
He also remembered a moment when he was so consumed by love that he halted a plane to see her. “As the plane was taxiing down the runway, I suddenly thought, ‘I’ve got to stop this plane and go back and see her,’” he said, explaining how he convinced the crew to let him off the flight. The entire cabin erupted in applause as he exited.
