Joan Templeman, the wife of British billionaire Sir Richard Branson, has d!ed aged 80.
The Virgin Records founder and airline tycoon shared the news on his Instagram page, writing that he was “heartbroken” to announce that Ms Templeman, his partner of almost 50 years, had d!ed.
“She was the most wonderful mum and grandmum our kids and grandkids could have ever wished for,” Sir Richard, 75, wrote. “She was my best friend, my rock, my guiding light, my world. Love you forever, Joan.”
Ms Templeman was not publicly known to be ill, and the post did not specify a cause of de@th.
Ms Templeman was a down-to-earth Scottish woman who preferred to stay out of the spotlight. She was frequently credited by Sir Richard as a stabilising force on his career, providing a counter-balance to his extravagant personality.
Ms Templeman worked as a stay-at-home mum and later turned her focus to philanthropy. In particular, she supported a number of premature birth charities after her daughter Clare d!ed at just four days old, having been born three months premature.
In 2013, she and her husband co-signed Bill Gates’s and Warren Buffet’s Giving Pledge, a promise to donate the majority of their wealth to charity in their lifetime. Having lost homes on three separate occasions — including a sinking houseboat early in their relationship, and a lightning strike on their holiday home in 2011 — the couple wrote in their pledge letter that they had realised material “stuff” did not really matter.
“Even the loss of photo albums and notebooks were of little consequence,” Sir Richard wrote on the couple’s behalf. “Family, friends, good health and the satisfaction that comes from making a positive difference are what really matters.”
