Richard Branson confirms death of wife Joan: 'My best friend, my rock'

Richard Branson announced on Tuesday that Joan Templeman, his wife of 50 years, has died. She was 80 years old.

Branson shared the news on his Instagram account, writing that he was "heartbroken."

"She was my best friend, my rock, my guiding light, my world," he wrote.

The billionaire entrepreneur, who founded the Virgin Group, added that Joan was "the most wonderful mum and grandmum our kids and grandkids could have ever wished for."

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No information about Joan's cause of death was immediately provided.

Branson first met Joan in 1976. He would later recall the moment he fell in love with Joan in a 2015 blog post.

"I fell in love with her from the first moment I saw her, while she worked in a bric-a-brac shop in Westbourne Grove, in London," he wrote. "A blonde-haired, down to earth, Scottish beauty who didn’t suffer fools, Joan was unlike any other women I had ever met."

Branson would frequently pay tribute to Joan, who celebrated her 80th birthday in July, as a grounding force in his life.

Branson celebrated the birthday with a post on social media, wishing his "wonderful, wonderful wife" a happy birthday and thanking her for being by his side through all "the highs, the lows, and all those quiet, content, and peaceful moments in-between."

This is a developing news story; check back for updates.