The death of Sir Richard Branson’s wife, Lady Joan Templeman, may have been “prevented” had she received medication to treat a blood clot, a coroner has said.
After examining the circumstances surrounding Templeman’s death, Professor Fiona Wilcox, the senior coroner at Inner West London Coroner’s Court, said she had not been given anticoagulant drugs — blood thinners used to reduce the risk of dangerous clots — according to The Independent.
Wilcox said Templeman, who died in November 2025 at the age of 80, would likely not have suffered a fatal pulmonary embolism if she had received the medication at London’s Lister Hospital. A pulmonary embolism occurs when a blood clot, often formed in the deep veins of the legs, suddenly blocks an artery in the lungs.
“I do find her death would have likely been prevented and the lack of anticoagulation did cause or contribute to her death probably,” Wilcox stated.
Page Six has contacted the Inner West London Coroner’s Court for comment.
Templeman — who was married to the Virgin Records founder for 36 years — died at Lister Hospital on Nov. 24, 2025, two weeks after she suffered a fall at the family’s Necker Island home.
Before the investigation, Templeman and Richard’s daughter, Holly, sent an email to the court where she expressed concern over how her mom was treated in the hospital, according to the Daily Mail.
Holly claimed Templeman was “accustomed to” taking anti-blood clot injections and doubted that her mom refused to take the medication at the hospital before her death.
“Had I been aware she was not receiving Enoxaparin injections I would have been very concerned given her recent long haul travel and medical history,” Holly said.
Dr. Basir Kunduzi, who was on duty at Lister Hospital, reportedly told the coroner that he thought Templeman should’ve received the medication, but he didn’t give her it because “there was a risk of bleeding” after her fall.
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Dr. Kunduzi claimed he instead gave Templeman a CT scan to make sure there was no bleeding and then wrote on her records that she wasn’t given the blood clot meds, but assumed another doctor would’ve reviewed his decision.
He expressed regret for his medical decision, per the Daily Mail.
Dr. Nevil Pavithran, who took over Templeman’s care, reportedly said during the investigation that Templeman should’ve received the meds within 12 hours of her being admitted to the hospital.
Dr. Pavithran also claimed “there was no bleeding risk” from Templeman taking the meds.
Dr. Bovill, who also treated Templeman at the hospital, admitted he screwed up by not forcing her to get the injections.
“I thought long and hard about this and reflected on it… I should have perhaps been much more forceful,” Dr. Bovill said. “It’s to my great regret I did not.”
When asked if he ever revisited his decision to not prescribe the drugs, Dr. Bovill replied, “Again, with great regret, I did not.”
Richard, 76, tragically announced his wife’s death on Instagram in November, but didn’t give any further details at the time.
In his tribute, the billionaire said he was “heartbroken” over the tragedy.
He also called Templeman the “most wonderful” mom and grandmother to their children and grandkids that he could have “ever wished for.”