During what must be a particularly heartbreaking time for Sir Richard Branson in the run up to Christmas, he has shared how his family are faring in the weeks since the sudden death of his wife Joan. Lady Branson passed away in late November, aged 80, after the pair had been married for 36 years.
In a post on Instagram, the businessman, 75, shared two smiling photos of the couple together from over the years - one which saw her hug his arm while walking down the street, and another in which he gently held her head in his hands. “Thank you to everyone who has shared such kind messages about Joan,” he began.
Richard, who had two children - daughter Holly, 44, and 40-year-old son Sam - with his late wife, then proceeded to issue an update on how they were all doing. “Our whole family are so touched by the outpouring of love,” he shared. “It brings us great comfort and it means so much to us all. We’re the kind of family that now just want to celebrate Joan and the wonderful life she lived.”
The Virgin Group co-founder then ended with a sweet reflection on their almost 50-year relationship. “I feel so fortunate to have met her all those years ago,” he continued. “She was just a joy to be around - as so many of your messages reiterated. Sending big hugs to everyone who has been in contact. And to anyone who has lost a family member recently, our thoughts (and Joan’s thoughts, I’m sure) are with you as well.”
His moving post was ‘liked’ more than 33,000 times, with many famous friends sharing messages of support. These included Naomi Campbell, who shared a string of ‘dove’ emojis, while Natalie Imbruglia replied: “So much love to you and the family Richard… love all the happy, funny stories shared of Joan. So much Joy!!! She is one in a million.” Additionally, Natalie Pinkham wrote “gorgeous pics and words” and Lizzie Cundy added “thinking of you”.
A day after the family had announced her death, Richard shared more details about her final days and hours. “Fate has a strange way of working,” he began, revealing that he’d fallen off a bike in India and hurt his shoulder - causing him to end up in the same hospital back in the UK where Joan was herself recovering from a back injury. “In the way life sometimes surprises you, I found myself moved to a room just down the corridor from her. We laughed together about how typical it was of us to end up on the same floor, like love-struck teenagers delighted to find each other again.”
Richard continued: “We had a lovely lunch that day. She was in positive spirits and getting stronger. She smiled at me, that radiant smile that lit up her whole face, the same smile I fell in love with the very first moment I saw her, half a century ago. Then suddenly, she was gone, quickly and painlessly. And thankfully, I was right by her side. It brings us all great comfort to know we were together.”
The couple met back in 1976 at The Manor, an Oxfordshire-based residential recording studio for Virgin Records, and Richard later said he “fell in love” at first sight. They married in 1989 on his private Necker Island, where the couple went on to spend much of their marriage. Under the Virgin brand, the businessman launched the likes of Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Mobile.
Their daughter Holly is Chief Purpose and Vision Officer at Virgin, and has also penned the business book WEconomy: You Can Find Meaning, Make A Living, and Change the World. Meanwhile, Sam is the founder of production company Sundog Pictures, which was transformed into the studio HiddenLight Productions which he co-founded with former US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, and her daughter, Chelsea Clinton.
Back in 2016, Richard exclusively spoke to HELLO! about how his wife was a key motivation to keep going towards the finish line for the Virgin Strive Challenge, en expedition in Italy that was to raise money for charity. "The last leg, I almost ran the whole way because Holly had gone ahead of us and had the grandchildren waiting," he explained, of rushing to finish the hike. "So to go over the finish line and see your wife, your daughter and grandchildren - we had the most wonderful welcome. It was a tremendous last day."
He added: "I mean, we're one of the closest families I know, we're very lucky in that way. For me as a grandfather, I'm incredibly privileged to be able to do this with my mother in tow and with my children, and with my wife and grandchildren in tow. I have to pinch myself, there aren't many people who get to spend a whole month with their family in this way, all the family."