Lady Joan Sarah Drummond Branson, the wife of Sir Richard Branson, passed away on November 24 last year at London Bridge Hospital at the age of 80. The cause of death has now been disclosed as a blood clot that developed two weeks after she sustained a back injury from a fall.
Pre-Inquest Review Hearing
At a pre-inquest review held at Inner West London Coroner's Court, the Branson family expressed a desire to find lessons from the tragedy rather than assign blame. Holly Branson, 44, the daughter of Sir Richard and Lady Joan, stated: “I believe mum had great care. The doctors saved her life three years ago, giving us all three more years together. We just want to help other families if there are any lessons to be learned.”
The upcoming inquest will delve into whether Lady Branson should have been prescribed blood thinners and if she was wearing anti-clot stockings at the time of her death. Senior Coroner Professor Fiona Wilcox informed the court that the inquest would establish whether Lady Branson was wearing Thrombo-Embolus Deterrent (TED) stockings, which are known to reduce the risk of blood clots during periods of inactivity.
Expert Testimony Required
Professor Wilcox indicated that statements from an expert witness would be necessary to determine if a prescription of the anti-coagulant Heparin could have prevented Lady Branson's death, particularly given her history of blood clots dating back to at least 2010. An expert haematologist will present a report at the inquest, which is scheduled for September.
Lady Joan's History with Blood Clots
In 2018, Sir Richard Branson shared an account of his wife's earlier struggle with blood clots. Around eight years prior, Lady Joan woke up to find her leg three times its normal size due to a series of clots from her ankle to groin, described by doctors as the worst case they had ever seen. She was at high risk of a pulmonary embolism. Treatment included Warfarin and compression stockings, but she later underwent a surgical procedure to insert a small umbrella-like device in her leg to prevent clots from reaching her lungs. Sir Richard recalled that she nearly skipped out of the hospital two days after the surgery.
Sir Richard's Tribute
Sir Richard was in the same hospital when his wife died, having injured his shoulder in a cycling fall in India. He announced her passing on Instagram on November 25, writing: “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.”
In a longer tribute on virgin.com, he described their final moments together: “We had a lovely lunch that day. She was in positive spirits and getting stronger. She smiled at me, that radiant smile that lit up her whole face, the same smile I fell in love with the very first moment I saw her, half a century ago. Then suddenly, she was gone, quickly and painlessly. And thankfully, I was right by her side.”
Their Love Story
Sir Richard and Joan's relationship began in 1976 when he met Joan Templeman at The Manor, a recording studio for Virgin Records. She was working at an antiques shop in Notting Hill. Despite her initial hesitation and her marriage to rock pianist Ronnie Leahy, Sir Richard's persistent charm—including lavish gifts and stopping a taxiing plane at Heathrow—won her over. Their first child, Clare Sarah, was stillborn in 1979, leading Joan to support premature birth charities. The couple later had Holly in 1981 and Sam in 1985. Joan is also survived by four grandchildren.
