Overview
- Branson shared the news in a heartfelt Instagram statement, calling Joan his best friend, his rock and his world.
- He said they had been partners for 50 years and described her as a wonderful mother and grandmother.
- The couple met in 1976 and married in 1989 on Necker Island, which Branson bought early in their relationship.
- They had three children—Holly, Sam and Clare Sarah—with Clare Sarah dying four days after a premature birth.
- Media reports note that no cause of death has been disclosed, as condolences including a message from Chloe Lattanzi appeared beneath the post.