SIR Richard Branson’s wife Joan has sadly died aged 80, with the Virgin boss penning a touching tribute after they spent 50 years together.
The 75-year-old posted an emotional tribute to the “most wonderful mum and grandmum” on Instagram.
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Branson shared a touching tribute to his wife on social mediaCredit: Instagram
Sir Richard Branson and wife Joan in 2018Credit: Getty
“Heartbroken to share that Joan, my wife and partner for 50 years, has passed away.
“She was the most wonderful mum and grandmum our kids and grandkids could have ever wished for.
“She was my best friend, my rock, my guiding light, my world.
“Love you forever Joan x”
In 1966, Joan married her childhood sweetheart Ronnie Leahy but the pair got divorced in 1978.
It came as she met Branson, whom she married afterwards.
Joan met the business magnate in 1976 at his Virgin Records studio.
The pair got married in 1989 at Branson’s Necker Island, a 74-acre island at the British Virgin Islands in the Caribbean Sea.
In 2016 the couple celebrated their 40th wedding anniversary, and the Virgin boss penned a love letter to Joan as a tribute.
The letter included: “I experienced love at first sight upon meeting a blonde-haired, down to earth, Scottish beauty named Joan, who just happened to be making a cup of tea.
“I generally make up my mind about someone within 30 seconds of meeting them, and Joan won my heart instantly. She was unlike any other women I had ever met.
“She was beautiful. She was bright. She was witty. She was down to earth. She was fun. And she had eyes made of magic.”
Branson is said to have a net worth of around £3.8billion and is a self-made businessman who launched his company Virgin over 50 years ago.
The Virgin boss was born in Blackheath, London, in 1950 and started his first venture, Virgin Records, in 1972, which he later sold to EMI in 1992 for £500million.
The dad-of-two has started up some very lucrative companies along the way, including Virgin Atlantic Airways in 1984 and Virgin Trains in 1993.
He also has a keen interest in space, and launched space tourism company Virgin Galactic in 2004, with the hope of offering future trips to space for £153,000 a go.
Richard Branson, and wife Joan attend the Premiere of Wall Street, in London’s West End, in 1988Credit: Getty
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