Sir Richard Branson’s wife died from a blood clot after a fall at her home, a coroner’s court has heard.
Lady Branson, 80, died at London Bridge Hospital from back complications caused by the fall, which had happened two weeks previously.
The full inquest, to be held in September, will determine whether Lady Branson should have been prescribed blood thinners and whether she was wearing anti-clot stockings at the time of her death.
The Branson family said they were not looking to place blame.
The couple’s daughter Holly Branson, told inner west London coroner’s court: “I believe mum had great care.
“The doctors saved her life three years ago, giving us all three more years together. We just want to help other families if there are any lessons to be learned.”
Prof Fiona Wilcox, the senior coroner, said the forthcoming inquest would establish whether Lady Branson was wearing thrombo-embolus deterrent (TED) stockings, which reduce the risk of blood clots and are worn by patients during periods of inactivity.
Expert witness testimony, including from a haematologist, will help decide whether Lady Branson should have been prescribed heparin, the anticoagulant, given her history of blood clots, dating from at least 2010.
In 2018, Sir Richard revealed that Glasgow-born Lady Branson suffered the “worst case” of blood clots that doctors at the hospital had seen. She woke up with a leg three times its usual size, caused by several clots from her ankle to her groin.
Sir Richard revealed his wife had been undergoing new surgery to limit the potential risk of pulmonary embolism, when blood clots travel to the lungs. A tiny umbrella was put inside her leg to act as a barrier to clots.
Lady Branson, a former model, was prescribed Warfarin and told her leg would gradually improve, but the risk of pulmonary embolism remained high.
He said: “Two days later, she nearly skipped out of the building!”
Sir Richard was in the same hospital as his wife when she died as he had hurt his shoulder falling off a bike in India.
Sir Richard and Lady Branson met in 1976 in the bric-a-brac shop where she worked in Westbourne Grove, London, which was near the Virgin office the Virgin office. The business tycoon said he fell in love with her at first sight.
They married in 1989 at Branson’s Necker Island, his 74-acre private island in the British Virgin Islands.
They had two children together, Holly, 44, and Sam Branson, 40. They also had a third child, Clare Sarah, who died four days after her premature birth in 1979.
Lady Branson, née Joan Templeman, had five grandchildren: Etta, Artie, Lola, Eva-Deia and Bluey. She celebrated her 80th birthday last summer.
