Richard Branson marked what would have been his late wife Joan's 81st birthday with an emotional tribute. The Virgin Group founder, 75, shared a nostalgic photograph of Joan in her younger days, captured mid-dance with a friend.
"Today would have been Joan’s 81st birthday. Keep dancing in the stars. We love you," Branson captioned the image. He announced Joan's passing at the age of 80 in November of the previous year, citing complications following a back injury sustained from a fall. She died at The Lister Hospital on November 24, 2025.
Richard and Joan, who married in 1989, had three children: Sam, Holly, and Clare Sarah, who died shortly after birth. A pre-inquest hearing in May revealed that Joan died from a blood clot two weeks after her fall. Her family, including Richard and their children, are reportedly not seeking to assign blame.
A full inquest into her death is scheduled for September of the current year. This inquest is expected to explore whether Joan should have been prescribed blood thinners alongside anti-clot stockings, according to reports. Holly Branson stated during the hearing that she believes her mother received excellent care, with doctors having saved her life three years prior, extending their time together. She expressed a desire for lessons to be learned to assist other families.
Senior Coroner Professor Fiona Wilcox indicated that expert witnesses will provide testimony on whether the anticoagulant Heparin could have prevented Joan's death. The court heard that Joan had a history of blood clots, with a significant incident in 2018 when her leg swelled considerably due to clots from her ankle to her groin. At that time, she underwent surgery to install a filter to prevent clots from reaching her lungs, and was prescribed Warfarin and compression stockings.
Branson was at the same hospital as his wife when she died, having sustained a shoulder injury from a cycling accident in India. He previously described his wife as his "best friend, my rock, my guiding light, my world."