Sir Richard Branson is mourning an unthinkable loss.

On Tuesday, the Virgin founder revealed that his wife of five decades, Lady Joan Branson, has died.

”My best friend”

Posting a deeply emotional message on social media, he wrote:

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.”

For half a century, Joan Templeman was widely known as Branson’s anchor — a fiercely private woman who chose to stay away from the spotlight even as her husband built one of the world’s most recognizable business empires.

Just last week, Branson shared a tender photo of himself kissing Joan’s head with the caption: “Everyone needs a Joan in their life.”

A love story that began in a London shop

Branson has often described their relationship as love at first sight. He first met Joan in West London in the 1970s, where she worked in a small bric-a-brac shop, according to ITV.

He once recalled hovering around the store buying “countless objects” just for the chance to see her again.

Years later, he wrote that he had “fell for Joan almost from the moment I saw her” and quickly learned that the down-to-earth Scottish woman was not easily swayed by his usual charms.

They eventually married in 1989 on Necker Island, the Caribbean escape Branson famously bought as a romantic gesture when they were only a couple of years into dating.

“We were still in the early days of Virgin Records and I definitely did not have the cash to buy it — but try telling that to a fool in love!” he admitted.

The couple went on to have three children: Holly, Sam, and Clare Sarah, who tragically passed away just four days after being born prematurely.

A life lived quietly, but deeply

Despite spending decades beside one of the world’s most recognizable entrepreneurs, Joan long avoided public attention. Branson once explained:

”From the beginning Joan was a very private person, and the over four decades we have been together she has remained so.”

She rarely gave interviews, in fact, according to Branson, she didn’t participate in one until 2016 for a documentary about his ballooning adventures.

Her final chapter

Lady Joan was believed to be in good health when she celebrated her 80th birthday this summer. Branson shared a loving tribute at the time, reflecting on their decades together:

”Thank you for being by my side through it all – the highs, the lows, and all those quiet, content and peaceful moments in between. These are the moments I cherish most with you, I love you more and more each year.”

Now, Branson is grieving the woman he has long described as the foundation of every part of his life — his partner, confidante, and greatest source of steadiness.

Her loss marks the end of a remarkable 50-year partnership built on devotion, resilience, and unwavering support.