Sir Richard Branson ‘heartbroken’ as wife Joan dies aged 80

Sir Richard Branson said he was “heartbroken” by the death of his 80-year-old wife Joan.

The couple, who married in 1989, had three children and five grandchildren.

In a post on Instagram, the Virgin Group founder said his wife was his “best friend” and “guiding light”.

“She was the most wonderful mother and grandmother our children and grandchildren could ever ask for,” the 75-year-old author wrote.

The entrepreneur did not say what caused his death.

Sir Richard wrote in his post: “I am heartbroken to share that Joan, my wife and partner of 50 years, has passed away.”

She added: “She was my best friend, my rock, my guiding light, my world. I will love you forever, Joan x.”

The couple married on the Caribbean island of Necker, owned by Sir Richard, and had three children, Holly, Sam and Clare Sarah, who died four days later.

Holly wrote in a blog in 2018 that her mother grew up in central Glasgow and worked in a pawnshop and later a London knickknack store on Portobello Road in west London.

It was there that his father first fell in love with Lady Branson, he said, and “she would come into the store every day for months and buy things he didn’t want or need.”

Holly described her mother as “a stay-at-home mom who was (and still is) always with hugs, inspiring words of wisdom, and a beautiful, inviting smile.”

In a blog he wrote five years ago to celebrate their wedding anniversary, Sir Richard said he “fell in love with Joan almost from the moment I saw her.”

“Joan has always been a steady source of wisdom and has played no small part in some of my better life decisions,” he added.

Sir Richard is one of England’s most successful businessmen.

He founded Virgin Records in the 1970s before his group expanded into other sectors such as air travel, broadband and space tourism.