Joan Branson, the wife of Virgin Group founder Sir Richard Branson, has died at 80 years old.
Sir Richard announced his wife’s death on Tuesday, November 25, 2025, through a heartfelt message posted on Instagram. The cause of death was not disclosed by the family.
“Heartbroken to share that Joan, my wife and partner for 50 years, has passed away,” Sir Richard wrote in his tribute. “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.”
Joan was born in Glasgow, Scotland, in 1948. Her father worked as a ship carpenter, and she grew up with six siblings, according to Fox Business. Before meeting Sir Richard, she was married to childhood sweetheart Ronnie Leahy from 1966 to 1978. After their divorce, she worked at an antique shop in Notting Hill, west London, where she first encountered Sir Richard in 1976.
Sir Richard has credited Joan with inspiring one of Virgin’s most successful ventures. The entrepreneur was inspired to create the “Now That’s What I Call Music!” compilation album series after seeing a Danish bacon advertisement while visiting the antique shop where Joan worked.
The couple married on November 1, 1989, on Necker Island, Sir Richard’s private 74-acre property in the British Virgin Islands. They welcomed three children together: Holly, Sam, and Clare Sarah, Fortune reported. Tragically, Clare Sarah died four days after being born three months premature. Sir Richard frequently credited Joan as the stabilizing force behind his business ventures, which include Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Galactic, and Virgin Records.
Joan maintained a private life throughout their marriage, rarely giving public interviews despite her husband’s prominent status. She recently celebrated her 80th birthday in July, which Sir Richard honored publicly. Days before her death, he shared affectionate photographs of her on social media, writing, “Everyone needs a Joan in their life.”
Beyond their two biological children, Joan became a grandmother to three grandchildren: Artie, Etta, and Eva-Deia. Sir Richard has consistently praised her unwavering support through the ups and downs of their five decades together, describing her as his closest confidant and greatest source of strength, as per GBNews.
Originally published on Enstarz