| Last Updated: September 25, 2026 |
Sir Richard Branson is one of the world's most recognizable entrepreneurs, known for building the Virgin Group from a small mail order record business into a global brand spanning aviation, space travel, hospitality and more. This article covers his age, net worth, wealth sources, books, business ventures, family life and personal background.
| Category | Details |
|---|---|
| Full Name | Sir Richard Charles Nicholas Branson |
| Date of Birth | July 18, 1950 |
| Age | 76 years old |
| Height | 5 feet 11 inches (180 cm) |
| Weight | Approximately 173 to 178 lbs (78 to 81 kg) |
| Net Worth | Approximately $2.8 billion (Forbes estimate; other trackers place it between $3 billion and $5 billion) |
| Company | Founder of Virgin Group |
| Spouse | Joan Templeman (married 1989, passed away November 25, 2025) |
| First Wife | Kristen Tomassi (married 1979, divorced) |
| Children | Holly Branson, Sam Branson, and late daughter Clare Sarah |
| Parents | Edward James "Ted" Branson and Eve Huntley Branson |
| Siblings | Vanessa Branson and Lindy Branson |
| Education | Left school at 15 to 16, never attended college |
| Notable Books | Losing My Virginity, Finding My Virginity, Screw It Let's Do It |
Sir Richard Branson is currently 76 years old, having been born on July 18, 1950. Despite being in his seventies, he remains actively involved in Virgin Group's global operations and continues to comment publicly on business and environmental issues through his personal blog and social media channels.
According to Forbes, Sir Richard Branson's net worth is estimated at approximately 2.8 billion dollars. It is worth noting that estimates of his fortune vary considerably across different financial trackers and publications, with some placing his wealth closer to the 3 to 5 billion dollar range depending on how private holdings and fluctuating share prices are calculated.
His fortune is built primarily on three pillars.
The Virgin Group: His wealth stems from a wide network of global companies operating under the Virgin brand, spanning music, travel, telecommunications, health and financial services.
Aviation and Space: Major stakes and historical involvement include Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Galactic, the latter being a pioneering commercial space tourism venture.
Real Estate: High value properties anchor his personal portfolio, most notably Necker Island in the British Virgin Islands, a private retreat he purchased decades ago and transformed into a luxury resort.
Branson's net worth peaked near 8 billion dollars during the market boom of 2021. It later declined following heavy losses and the bankruptcy of Virgin Orbit, his satellite launch company. Selling shares to fund operations during economic downturns and the pandemic further reduced his overall holdings in subsequent years.
Richard Branson is the author of several bestselling autobiographies and business guides that share his entrepreneurial philosophy.
Losing My Virginity, published in 1998, is his definitive first autobiography detailing how he built Virgin Group. Finding My Virginity, released in 2017, is the sequel memoir covering his later business ventures and space exploration pursuits. Losing and Finding My Virginity, released in 2024, is a combined and updated audiobook edition of both memoirs, narrated by Branson himself.
Screw It, Let's Do It, published in 2006, is a quick read guide on personal values, risk taking and pursuing goals. Business Stripped Bare, from 2008, shares adventures and unfiltered insights from running a global conglomerate. Screw Business as Usual, released in 2011, is a manifesto on turning capitalism into a positive force for social and ecological good. Like a Virgin, from 2013, offers practical business secrets and advice not typically taught in schools. The Virgin Way, published in 2014, covers leadership and management lessons focused on listening, learning and leading with a human touch.
Sir Richard Branson founded Virgin Group, a multinational conglomerate that has grown to encompass hundreds of companies across diverse sectors.
Virgin Atlantic is a major international airline founded in 1984. Virgin Galactic is a pioneering commercial space tourism company founded in 2004. Virgin Hotels is a chain of luxury lifestyle hotels operating in major cities around the world. Virgin Limited Edition is an award winning collection of luxury retreats and properties, including Necker Island. Virgin Red and Virgin Experience Days serve as customer engagement, loyalty and leisure experience platforms.
Virgin Records was founded in 1970 or 1972 as a record shop and label, and was later sold in 1992 to help fund the launch of Virgin Atlantic. Virgin Money, a digital and retail bank, was fully sold to Nationwide in 2024. Virgin Orbit, a satellite launch rocket company, filed for bankruptcy in 2023. Virgin Trains operated various United Kingdom rail franchises from 1997 until the final franchise ended in 2019. Virgin Mobile, a mobile virtual network operator formerly active in various global markets, has largely wound down or transferred its operations, including in the United States and the United Kingdom.
Sir Richard Branson's wife was Joan Templeman, who passed away at the age of 80 on November 25, 2025, after nearly fifty years together. The couple married in a barefoot ceremony on Necker Island in 1989. Sir Richard often described her as his best friend, his rock, and the shining star of their family.
A 2026 coroner's inquest concluded that her death, caused by a pulmonary embolism following a fall, could potentially have been prevented with blood thinning medication.
Richard Branson's first wife was Kristen Tomassi, whom he married in 1979 and later divorced. He was subsequently married to Joan Templeman from 1989 until her passing in November 2025.
Sir Richard Branson has two surviving children with his late wife, Joan Templeman: Holly and Sam.
Born in 1981, Holly studied medicine and earned medical and physiology degrees before working as a doctor. She joined Virgin Group in 2008 and serves as the Chief Purpose and Vision Officer, in addition to chairing Virgin Unite and co-founding Big Change. She is married to Freddie Andrewes and has children of her own.
Born in 1985, Sam works as a filmmaker, musician and philanthropist. He founded Sundog Pictures and co-founded the youth foundation Big Change, while also serving as an informal adviser to Virgin Group.
Richard and Joan also welcomed a first daughter, Clare, in 1979, who sadly passed away four days after birth.
Sir Richard Branson stands at 5 feet 11 inches, or 180 centimeters tall. His weight is estimated to be approximately 173 to 178 pounds, which is roughly 78 to 81 kilograms or about 12 stone 3 pounds to 12 stone 10 pounds.
Richard Branson left school at age 15 or 16 without taking traditional final exams and never attended college, choosing instead to learn from what he calls the University of Life.
He attended Scaitcliffe School, a preparatory school in Surrey, England, where he struggled significantly. He later transferred to Stowe School, a boarding school in Buckinghamshire. He suffered from undiagnosed dyslexia, which made traditional academics and reading blackboards extremely difficult at a time when the condition was not widely recognized or accommodated.
He quit formal schooling in 1966 at age 15 or 16 after being given an ultimatum by his headmaster. He left school to focus full time on running his youth culture publication, Student, which provided his real world business foundation.
Branson frequently states that a university degree is not a prerequisite or indicator of business success. He champions dyslexic thinking as a creative superpower rather than a disability, and has launched initiatives offering free online resources for dyslexic minds.
Richard Branson's parents were Edward James Ted Branson and Eve Huntley Branson.
Father: Edward James Ted Branson (1918 to 2011)
He worked as a barrister, following a family tradition in law, and was also a former cavalryman. He was the son of High Court judge Sir George Arthur Harwin Branson.
Mother: Eve Branson (née Flindt; 1924 to 2021)
She worked as a ballet dancer, served in the Women's Royal Naval Service during World War II, and later worked as a flight attendant. She was also an author, adventurer and philanthropist. Richard Branson has frequently credited his mother with instilling his independent, resilient and entrepreneurial spirit.
Sir Richard Branson has two younger sisters, Vanessa Branson and Lindy Branson.
Vanessa Branson is an art gallery owner, entrepreneur and cultural activist who founded the Marrakech Biennale and wrote a family memoir titled One Hundred Summers. Lindy Branson is the other younger sister of the Virgin Group founder, and she keeps a relatively private profile compared to her siblings.
Richard Branson's official online presence is hosted on the Virgin Official Site, which serves as the home for Virgin Group and the Branson family. His official biography can be found on the Richard Branson Page, and his thoughts on business, leadership and global issues are shared on Richard Branson's Blog.
He is also active on social media, with a large following across platforms. On Instagram, he has around 4.9 million followers. On Facebook, he has approximately 4.6 million followers. On X (formerly Twitter), he has around 11.4 million verified followers, a presence he has built since joining the platform in August 2007.
Richard Branson is 76 years old, having been born on July 18, 1950.
According to Forbes, Richard Branson's net worth is estimated at approximately 2.8 billion dollars, though estimates vary across different sources and trackers.
No. His wife, Joan Templeman, passed away on November 25, 2025, after nearly fifty years together. He was previously married to Kristen Tomassi in 1979, a marriage that ended in divorce.
He has two surviving children, Holly and Sam Branson. A first daughter, Clare, passed away four days after birth in 1979.
No. He left school at age 15 or 16 and never attended college, instead building his business foundation through his youth culture magazine, Student.
His major current ventures include Virgin Atlantic, Virgin Galactic, Virgin Hotels and Virgin Limited Edition. Past ventures included Virgin Records, Virgin Money, Virgin Orbit, Virgin Trains and Virgin Mobile.
He left after being given an ultimatum by his headmaster in 1966, choosing to focus on his entrepreneurial pursuits rather than continue traditional academics, partly due to struggles caused by undiagnosed dyslexia.
Joan Templeman passed away at age 80 on November 25, 2025, from a pulmonary embolism following a fall. A 2026 coroner's inquest concluded her death could potentially have been prevented with blood thinning medication.
He is 5 feet 11 inches, or 180 centimeters tall.
Yes. He suffered from undiagnosed dyslexia during his school years and has since become a prominent advocate for dyslexic thinking, describing it as a creative strength rather than a disability.
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