The death of Lady Joan Templeman, wife of Sir Richard Branson, could likely have been prevented, according to a senior coroner's findings. Professor Fiona Wilcox, senior coroner from Inner West London Coroner’s Court, stated that Templeman, who passed away in November 2025 at age 80, did not receive anticoagulant medication to treat a blood clot.
Wilcox determined that if Templeman had been administered blood thinners at Lister Hospital in London, she would not have succumbed to a pulmonary embolism, which is a blockage in a lung artery caused by a blood clot. "I do find her death would have likely been prevented and the lack of anticoagulation did cause or contribute to her death probably," Wilcox said, according to The Independent.
Templeman died at Lister Hospital on Nov. 24, 2025, two weeks after falling at the family's Necker Island home. Her daughter, Holly, expressed concerns about her mother's hospital treatment in an email to the court, questioning whether Templeman refused the medication. Holly noted that her mother was "accustomed to" taking anti-blood clot injections and doubted she would have refused them, especially given recent long-haul travel and her medical history.
Dr. Basir Kunduzi, who was on duty at Lister Hospital, reportedly told the coroner that while he believed Templeman should have received the medication, he opted against it due to a perceived risk of bleeding after her fall. He instead ordered a CT scan and noted in her records that the medication was not given, assuming another doctor would review his decision. Dr. Kunduzi has expressed regret over this medical decision.
Dr. Nevil Pavithran, who took over Templeman’s care, stated that she should have received the medication within 12 hours of admission and that there was no bleeding risk associated with it. Dr. Bovill, another physician involved in her care, admitted he made an error by not being more forceful in ensuring she received the injections, stating, "It’s to my great regret I did not."
Richard Branson, 76, had announced his wife's death on Instagram in November 2025, describing himself as heartbroken and calling Templeman "the most wonderful" mother and grandmother.