Lady Joan Sarah Drummond Branson, 80, the wife of Virgin tycoon Sir Richard Branson, likely suffered a fatal blood clot in her lungs following a fall, an inquest has been told. She died on November 24 at the Lister Hospital in Chelsea, west London.

A pre-inquest review hearing on Wednesday was informed by Professor Fiona Wilcox, senior coroner for Inner West London, that an expert report indicated clear evidence of a pulmonary embolism, commonly known as a blood clot in the lungs. The expert also stated that the overwhelming likelihood is that she had also developed a deep vein thrombosis (DVT), a blood clot in a vein.

A full inquest into Lady Joan's death is scheduled for September 9, with several witnesses expected to provide evidence. Lawyers representing the Lister Hospital, part of HCA Healthcare UK, were present at the hearing.

Lady Branson had a history of blood clots, with a significant incident in 2018 where she awoke to find her leg swollen to three times its normal size. This led to a hospital visit where she and Sir Richard were informed she had a series of clots from her ankle to her groin, described as one of the worst cases doctors had encountered. She was prescribed Warfarin and fitted with a compression device, but remained at risk of a major pulmonary embolism. An urgent surgery was performed to implant a filter in her leg to prevent clots from reaching her lungs.

Sir Richard, who was himself in the same hospital at the time of his wife's death due to a shoulder injury sustained in a bike accident in India, described Lady Branson as the "shining star around which our family's universe has always orbited." He also stated that she died "quickly and painlessly" and that they had shared lunch on the day of her passing.

In a statement following her death, Sir Richard called her his "best friend, my rock, my guiding light, my world," adding that life would never be the same without her but that they had "50 incredible years of memories."

Their daughter, Holly Branson, who is 44, had previously stated at a May hearing that the family was not looking to assign blame. She expressed belief that her mother received excellent care, noting that doctors had saved her life three years prior, allowing the family three additional years together. "We just want to help other families if there are any lessons to be learned," Holly said.

Sir Richard and Lady Branson, who was born in Glasgow, first met in 1976. They had three children: Holly, Sam, and Clare Sarah, who died shortly after birth in 1979. The couple met at The Manor, a former recording studio in Oxfordshire, England, when Lady Branson worked in an antiques shop.