Sir Richard Branson has paid a deeply moving tribute to his late wife Joan, celebrating her life alongside their children during an intimate New Year service on Necker Island.

Six weeks after Joan’s death at the age of 80, the billionaire entrepreneur gathered family and close friends on his 74-acre private island in the British Virgin Islands for what he described as a “beautiful celebration” marked by songs, laughter and tears. The ceremony brought together their two children, Holly, 44, and Sam, 40, in a moment of shared remembrance and gratitude.

Branson first announced Joan’s passing in November, writing that he was “heartbroken” to lose the woman who had been his partner for half a century. He said she was not only an extraordinary wife, but also the most loving mother and grandmother their family could have wished for, calling her his best friend, guiding light and entire world.

Footage shared online showed Branson, his children and guests dressed in white, walking in single file along the island’s rugged coastline beneath a glowing moon. Despite nursing an arm injury, Branson later addressed the gathering, raising a glass of champagne as he spoke about a life filled with love, joy and unforgettable memories.

In his tribute, he explained that his family has always believed in celebrating people while they are alive and after they are gone, saying that was exactly what they had done for Joan. He described the evening as a heartfelt farewell, full of stories, music and emotion, honouring a woman he called an incredible partner, mum, grandmother and friend.

Branson added that the family chose to hold the service under the brightest moon of the year, marking the end of what he described as a beautiful month. Separate images showed him and son Sam sitting quietly together on the beach, reflecting beneath the rising moon.

Sam, a talented musician, also performed during the ceremony and later shared that it had been a very special service for a very special woman. Holly, meanwhile, posted her own emotional tribute, admitting the initial shock and pain of her mother’s death had slowly turned into gratitude for 44 years of unconditional love. She described Joan as one in a billion, brilliant and kind, and thanked supporters around the world for the messages, cards and flowers that helped the family feel held and loved.

The couple married on Necker Island in 1989 after meeting years earlier at The Manor in Oxfordshire. Branson has previously said Joan was unimpressed by his early showmanship, something he quickly realised made her even more special.