Sir Richard Branson's Second Wife, Joan, Passes Away: Who Was His First Wife?

Sir Richard Branson's announcement of his wife Joan's death at age 80 has renewed attention on his earlier life and prompted the question of who his first wife was.

Richard Branson confirmed on 25 November 2025 that his wife of many years Joan had died, marking the end of their 50-year partnership. He shared the news on his social media accounts, noting that she had been a central figure in his family life. No additional details regarding her death were provided. Branson met Joan Templeman in 1976 at The Manor, a recording studio in Oxfordshire, England.

At the time, she worked in an antique shop selling old signs and advertisements, and he later recounted how he visited the shop repeatedly while building the confidence to speak to her. Over the following weeks, he accumulated a growing collection of hand-painted tin signs featuring brands such as Hovis and Woodbine. The couple went on to have three children together: Holly, Sam and Clare Sarah, the latter of whom died shortly after birth in 1979. Branson and Joan married in 1989 and remained together until her death.

Who Was His First Wife?

Richard Branson's first wife was architect and designer Kristen Tomassi. They married on 04 July 1972 in Oxfordshire when he was 21 and she was 20. At the time of their marriage, Branson was running several business ventures, while Tomassi was focused on her architectural and design studies in the United States.

Tomassi's education included time at Concord Academy in Massachusetts, Fairfield University in Connecticut, Parsons School of Design in New York and the Arizona State School of Architecture. After the wedding, she moved from the USA to England. She was born and raised in Southport, Connecticut, where her father, Joseph H. Tomassi, worked as the director of international marketing and development for Libby, McNeill, Libby International. Little recorded information is available about her mother, Jacqueline Tomassi.

The marriage faced significant medical issues that Branson later detailed in his autobiography. He described what he referred to as a 'bizarre sexual allergy' that caused him to develop a painful rash whenever they had sex. He said the rash typically lasted around three weeks and persisted despite multiple medical consultations. Efforts to treat the condition included Branson undergoing a circumcision, though the problem was not resolved. No children were born during their marriage, and the relationship experienced difficulties beyond the medical complications, including reported affairs on both sides. Their divorce was finalised in 1979.

What Happened After the Divorce

Later, Tomassi began a romance with musician Kevin Ayers. Her daughter, Galen Ayers, was born from that relationship. Galen later became a musician and is married to Stephen James Hopkins. Branson, meanwhile, met Joan Templeman in 1976 while still married to Tomassi. His relationship with Templeman developed over time, and although they did not marry until 1989, they remained together for decades.

Branson went on to build the Virgin business empire, which includes Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Galactic and Virgin Orbit. Throughout this period, Joan Templeman was a constant presence in his personal life, accompanying him during notable moments in his career and family milestones.

A Shared History Marked by Loss

By the time of Joan's death on 25 November 2025, she and Branson had been together for nearly half a century. Her death closes a significant chapter in his life, one shaped by the stability of their long marriage and the earlier, more turbulent years marked by his first marriage to Kristen Tomassi.