Sir Richard Branson announced on Tuesday that his wife, Joan, has died at the age of 80.
In a heartfelt post on social media, Richard described Joan as his “best friend, my rock, my guiding light, my world.”
He added that she was “the most wonderful mum and grandmum our kids and grandkids could have ever wished for.”
The sad news marks the end of a near five-decade long love story. The Virgin founder, 75, first met Joan in 1976.
“I fell for Joan almost from the moment I saw her,” he previously shared in a blog post on Virgin.com.
The pair tied the knot in a barefoot wedding ceremony on Necker Island in 1989. They shared three children- Holly, Sam, and the late Clare, who died at just 4-days-old after she was born premature. They also had five grandchildren.
“She was the most wonderful mum and grandmum our kids and grandkids could have ever wished for,” Richard said.
While Richard jetted around the world building his empire, Joan stayed largely out of the spotlight a stay-at-home mum and involved in philanthropic work, supporting several charities focus on premature births.
Richard had previously praised for being a stable force for him at home and in his business. “Joan has always been a steady source of wisdom and has played no small part in some of my better life decisions,” Richard wrote in 2020. “I wouldn’t have been able to do [it all] without Joan, and I wouldn’t have it any other way.”
Just days before her death, her shared a picture of his wife beaming as he kissed the back of her head. “Everyone needs a Joan in their life,” Richard captioned the shot.
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