Richard Branson Biography, Age 2025, Career, Early Life, Controversies

Richard Branson Biography – Have you ever wondered how a kid who could barely read turned into one of the most recognizable entrepreneurs on the planet? That’s exactly the Richard Branson story, equal parts crazy, inspiring, and downright entertaining.

Early Life

London, 1950. Richard Charles Nicholas Branson is born to a barrister dad and a former ballet-dancer-turned-entrepreneur mom, Eve. Sounds posh, right? Well, it was, until you factor in the dyslexia and later-diagnosed ADHD that made school a living nightmare.

Young Richard couldn’t spell, couldn’t sit still, and regularly came bottom of the class. Teachers thought he was lazy. His headmaster famously told him he’d either end up in prison or become a millionaire. Spoiler alert: he picked door number two.

But here’s the magic, his parents never made him feel broken. His mum once made him find his own way home from miles away just to build confidence. Tough love? Absolutely. It worked. By age 11 he was trying to breed budgerigars to sell, and at 13 he attempted a Christmas-tree farm (both flops, but the hustle was already there).

First Venture

At 16 most kids are stressing about exams. Richard? He dropped out of Stowe School and started a magazine called Student from a church crypt in London. He and his friend Nik Powell cold-called Mick Jagger for an interview and somehow pulled it off.

The magazine made a little money, but the real goldmine came when readers kept asking for discounted records. So in 1970 he launched a mail-order record company and called it… Virgin (because they were complete virgins at business).

One year later he opened his first record shop on Oxford Street, and in 1972 he built a recording studio in the countryside. A virtually unknown artist named Mike Oldfield walked in, recorded Tubular Bells, and the album sold millions. Then came the Sex Pistols, the most controversial band on earth, and suddenly Virgin Records was the coolest label around.

By the early 80s Richard was a multimillionaire before he even hit 30. Not bad for a dropout, huh?

Aviation Revolution

In 1984 Richard did what everyone said was suicidal: he started an airline. With exactly one leased 747 and zero experience, Virgin Atlantic took its first flight from London to New York.

British Airways, the giant of the sky, didn’t take kindly to the cheeky upstart. They launched what became known as the “dirty tricks” campaign, hacking computers, spreading rumors, poaching customers. Richard sued. He won. BA paid him £610,000 and had to issue a public apology. He famously handed out the settlement money to employees as “BA Christmas bonuses”.

From that one plane grew Virgin Australia, Virgin America (later sold), Virgin Trains, Virgin Mobile, Virgin Hotels, and, the craziest of all, Virgin Galactic. In July 2021, at age 71, Richard strapped himself into a spaceplane and became one of the first civilian astronauts. Beat that, Elon.

Personal Life

Richard’s first marriage to Kristen Tomassi lasted seven years and produced no children. Then in 1976, on a Virgin Records photoshoot in New York, he met Joan Templeman, a Scottish antiques dealer with zero interest in his fame. He chased her for a year before she finally said yes.

They eloped to Necker Island (which he bought in 1978 for a steal) and married in 1989. Together they had Holly (now Chief Purpose & Brand Officer at Virgin) and Sam (filmmaker and adventurer). They also tragically lost their first daughter, Clare Sarah, just four days after birth in 1979.

For decades Necker was their paradise, celebrity guests, kite-surfing with Obama, family Christmases. Tragically, Joan passed away on November 25, 2025, at age 80. Richard’s heartbreaking Instagram tribute simply read: “She was my best friend, my rock, my guiding light, my world. Love you forever, Joan.”

Philanthropic Heart

Money never seemed to be Richard’s main driver. In 2004 he founded Virgin Unite, the non-profit arm of the group. In 2007 Nelson Mandela asked him to help launch The Elders, a council of global leaders fighting for peace and human rights.

He once pledged to invest $3 billion into fighting climate change (critics say he didn’t hit the full number, but hundreds of millions definitely flowed into renewable fuels). He’s campaigned to end the war on drugs, helped evacuate Ukrainian children with cancer, and continues to push for prison reform and ocean conservation.

Even in 2025, at 75, he’s still signing letters, hosting summits on Necker, and using his platform to nudge the world in a slightly better direction.

Controversies

Let’s keep it real, no one gets this big without some mess.

At 21 he was caught dodging purchase tax on records and spent a night in jail (charges later dropped after he paid a fine). During COVID he asked staff to take eight weeks unpaid leave while living on his private island, the optics were terrible. His massive climate pledge drew accusations of greenwashing when Virgin Atlantic kept burning jet fuel. And in 2010 a former employee accused him of sexual misconduct (he denied it and no charges were filed).

Richard’s response to criticism? Own it, apologize when needed, and keep moving. That’s very on-brand for him.

Conclusion

So what’s the real takeaway from Richard Branson’s wild ride? It’s not the billions, the balloons, or even the trip to space. It’s that a kid who couldn’t spell his way out of school decided the rules didn’t apply to him, and then spent fifty years proving the world wrong.

He’s living proof that dyslexia doesn’t define you, that failure is just tuition, and that business can (and maybe should) be fun. Whether you love him or roll your eyes at another Necker Island selfie, one thing’s undeniable: the man knows how to live a life less ordinary.

FAQs

How much is Richard Branson actually worth in 2025?

As of November 2025, Forbes estimates his net worth at around $2.8 billion, down from previous highs because of heavy Virgin Galactic investment, but still comfortably billionaire status.

Did Richard Branson really go to space?

Yes! On July 11, 2021, he flew to the edge of space on Virgin Galactic’s Unity 22 mission, reaching 86 km altitude and experiencing several minutes of weightlessness.

How many companies does the Virgin Group own today?

Over 40 active companies carry the Virgin name, but the group operates more than 200 through licensing deals. The core is privately held by Richard and his family trusts.

Was Richard Branson ever actually knighted?

Yes, he was knighted by Queen Elizabeth II in 2000 for “services to entrepreneurship,” so technically he’s Sir Richard Branson.

What is Richard Branson working on right now in 2025–2026?

He’s rebuilding after Joan’s passing, pushing Virgin Galactic toward full commercial space flights in 2026, expanding Virgin Hotels, and continuing climate and criminal-justice advocacy through Virgin Unite, while planning a rival train service through the Channel Tunnel by 2029.