Billionaire entrepreneur Richard Branson is mourning the loss of his wife and partner of five decades, Joan Templeman, who died at age 80 while they were both patients in the same hospital.
A Final Chapter in Hospital
The 75-year-old Virgin Group founder revealed the poignant circumstances surrounding his wife's passing in a heartfelt Instagram post. Branson was recovering from a shoulder injury sustained after falling off a bicycle in India, while Templeman was being treated for a back injury. Fate intervened, placing them on the same floor of a hospital in England.
Branson was eventually moved to a room down the hall from his wife. He shared that they found comfort and even humour in the situation, writing, "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."
A Sudden and Peaceful Goodbye
Despite a recent lunch where Branson noted she was getting stronger and remained positive about her health, Templeman's condition changed abruptly. The business magnate described her final moments as quick and painless, offering a small solace to the grieving family.
"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," Branson wrote. "Then suddenly, she was gone... And thankfully, I was right by her side. It brings us all great comfort to know we were together."
A Life Celebrated and a Love Remembered
In his tribute, Branson called Templeman his "best friend, my rock, my guiding light, my world." The couple's son, Sam, responded to the post with mending heart emojis, a quiet digital gesture of shared grief.
The family had recently celebrated Templeman's 80th birthday with close friends at Kasbah Tamadot, their luxury hotel in Morocco's Atlas Mountains. Branson reflected on her joyful spirit, saying, "She lived so fully and joyfully, always thinking of others, always lifting everyone else up."
The couple shared three children. Their daughter, Clare Sarah, tragically died four days after her birth in 1979. Before his marriage to Templeman, Branson was married to Kristen Tomassi from 1972 to 1979.
Branson concluded his emotional post by affirming the lasting impact of their partnership: "Joan was my everything, the shining star around which our family’s universe has always orbited. That light is not gone; it’s just taken on a new shape. It will guide us forward. And we will carry her with us, always."
