Richard Branson and his late wife, Joan Templeman, have an incredible love story spanning 50 years, which included the businessman's yearlong struggle to purchase Necker Island for his then-girlfriend.
In a post shared to the now-75-year-old's blog in February 2020, he revealed the story behind how he managed to buy the entire island, which is part of the British Virgin Islands, in 1979.
"Two years after we had first met," Richard wrote, "I wanted to show Joan a grand gesture of affection. Upon hearing about a beautiful island in the British Virgin Islands up for sale, I called the people selling it to enquire."
As Virgin Records was still in its early days, the entrepreneur was not quite as wealthy as he is now and "did not have the cash to buy it" at the time. "Try telling that to a fool in love!," he joked in the blog post.
Richard describe seeing the island for the first time as the "second time [he] experienced love at first sight," recounting how the couple walked around the island and "dreamed up plans for turning it into [their] home and a haven for musicians".
Richard couldn't buy the property at first
However, Richard's highest offer of $100,000 was rejected by the realtor, which came as little surprise to him, given that the realtor's "discounted" asking price was a hefty $6 million.
"Needless to say, the helicopter left without us and we were left to hitch-hike back to the airport – ego bruised and sunburnt," he continued.
Richard then joked that "Joan wasn't put off by the failed attempt" and that the pair fortunately remained "madly in love" – but that didn't mean they would give up on the island.
A year later, the island was still for sale, with the owner becoming desperate to sell it off. "Virgin Records was in a much better position than it had been a year before, so I quickly agreed to a purchase price of $180,000," the businessman said.
"It was one of the best decisions I've ever made," he added. "But the very best was when Joan and I got married on Necker 11 years later and it's still the place we call home." Now, they've incorporated features such as a battery-driven watercraft and the Necker Nymph, a high-tech mini submarine.
Richard and Joan's love story
Richard and Joan remained together for nearly 50 years before she passed away, and shared children Holly and Sam, as well as their eldest, Sarah Clare, who was born three months premature and died four days after her birth due to complications.
Joan was incredibly close with her children and her five grandchildren, Etta, Artie, Lola, Eva-Deia and Bluey Rafe.
On Tuesday, 25 November, Richard took to Instagram to announce his wife's passing with a heartbroken message that read: "Heartbroken to share that Joan, my wife and partner for 50 years, has passed away.
"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. Love you forever, Joan x."late