In a poignant twist of fate, Sir Richard Branson found himself unexpectedly by his wife's side during her final hours after a bicycle accident brought him home from India. The Virgin founder, 75, had been participating in a charity Strive Challenge when he fell from his bike, requiring medical treatment back in London.
A Serendipitous Reunion
The ten-hour flight from India proved to be what family friends are calling a "lucky coincidence" in heartbreaking circumstances. Sir Richard returned to the UK for shoulder treatment and was admitted to the same hospital floor where his wife of 50 years, Lady Joan Branson, was recovering from back problems.
The couple ended up in separate rooms on the same corridor, allowing them to share what would become their final lunch together. Sir Richard described them as being "like love-struck teenagers delighted to find each other again" during those precious last hours.
Unexpected Passing
Lady Joan Branson passed away unexpectedly on Tuesday at the age of 80. Her death was completely unforeseen, which explains why Sir Richard had been abroad doing charity work while she was hospitalised with back issues.
In an emotional tribute shared on Wednesday, Sir Richard revealed: "Then suddenly, she was gone, quickly and painlessly. And thankfully, I was right by her side." He expressed gratitude for the strange workings of fate that allowed him to be present during his wife's final moments.
A Love Story Spanning Decades
The couple first met in 1976 at The Manor, a live-in recording studio for Virgin Records. Sir Richard had previously written about falling in love at first sight with the "blonde-haired, down to earth, Scottish beauty who didn't suffer fools."
They married in 1989 on Sir Richard's private Necker Island in a ceremony that has recently resurfaced in emotional footage. The couple had been looking forward to celebrating their 50th anniversary in just a few months on February 7.
Lady Joan is survived by her two adult children with Sir Richard - Holly, 44, and Sam, 40 - and five grandchildren. The couple had three children together, though their daughter Sarah Clare sadly died at just four days old.
In his moving tribute, Sir Richard called his wife his "shining star" and wrote: "Joan was my everything, the shining star around which our family's universe has always orbited." He described their final year together as "incredible," noting her 80th birthday celebration in Morocco and their son Sam's 40th birthday celebrations.
The family has requested privacy during this difficult time as they mourn the loss of a woman described by her son Sam as "the kindest, most loving, warm, witty and abundantly generous woman to walk this Earth."
