Sir Richard Branson is mourning the loss of his wife, Joan Templeman and the photograph he shared just days before her death has become the final public image of the couple together. Ms Templeman died at the age of 80.
In a statement posted to social media by Branson, he said he was “heartbroken to share that Joan, my wife and partner for 50 years, has passed away.” He described her as “the most wonderful mum and grandmum our kids and grandkids could have ever wished for,” and added that she had been “my best friend, my rock, my guiding light, my world.”
Branson and Templeman met in 1976 at a recording studio in Oxfordshire, where she was working in an antique shop. The couple married in 1989 on his private Caribbean retreat, Necker Island. Over five decades together they had three children: a daughter who died shortly after birth in 1979, then two surviving children, a daughter, Holly Branson, and a son, Sam Branson.
In recent years, Branson had spoken of his deep admiration for Templeman’s grounded demeanour and emotional support. He once wrote that he fell in love with her from the moment he first saw her, describing her as a “down-to-earth Scottish lady” whose strength and warmth grounded him. Family and friends have since remembered her as a devoted mother and grandmother, warm, private and attentive to her loved ones.
At the time of her passing, Templeman had just celebrated her 80th birthday earlier in the year, a milestone the couple quietly marked. Branson’s tribute and the final photograph resonated widely, not only as a farewell to a life partner, but as a reminder of the decades-long bond behind the public persona of one of Britain’s most prominent entrepreneurs.
The picture Branson shared barely 48 hours before the announcement of her death shows them embracing, the two smiling, a poignant final memory of a private but enduring partnership. The post was captioned simply: “Love this photo of Joan.”
The circumstances of her death have not been disclosed publicly. Branson asked for privacy for his family as they grieve. The final picture and his message offer a window into the profound personal loss behind the headlines.
For many this marks the end of a quietly rooted love story: from a chance meeting in a London antique shop to five decades of shared life spanning family, business, and the challenges of global fame. The final image stands as a testament to that bond, gentle, private and enduring.