Sir Richard Branson and wife Joan Templeman attend the ceremony honoring Sir Richard Branson with star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame on October 16, 2018 in Hollywood, California. (Photo by Axelle/Bauer-Griffin/FilmMagic)
Sir Richard Branson announced Tuesday that his wife of 50 years, Joan Templeman, has died at age 80.
A cause of death was not revealed.
What they're saying:
"Heartbroken to share that Joan, my wife and partner for 50 years, has passed away," he posted on Instagram. "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"
The backstory:
Branson first met Joan in 1976, FOX Business reported, and later reflected on the moment he fell for her in a 2015 blog post. "I fell in love with her from the first moment I saw her, while she worked in a bric-a-brac shop in Westbourne Grove, in London," he wrote, calling her "a blonde-haired, down-to-earth Scottish beauty who didn’t suffer fools" and "unlike any other women" he had met.
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Over the years, Branson often paid tribute to Joan — who marked her 80th birthday in July — describing her as a grounding presence in his life.
He celebrated her milestone with a social-media post thanking his "wonderful, wonderful wife" for standing by him through "the highs, the lows, and all those quiet, content, and peaceful moments in between."
The Source: FOX Business contributed to this report. The information in this story comes from Sir Richard Branson’s public Instagram announcement, where he shared news of Joan Templeman’s death and paid tribute to her. This story was reported from Los Angeles.