Ex-wife of British Billionaire Richard Branson

Kristen Tomassi | Biography

Architecture and design graduate

• By Yunil Tamrakar
• Update : January 11, 2022

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Kristen Tomassi is best known as the ex-wife of billionaire Richard Branson.

Who is Kristen Tomassi?

Kristen Tomassi was born in 1952 and is from Southport, Connecticut. As of January 2022, she is 69 years old. She was born to her parents, Mr. and Mrs. Joseph H. Tomassi. Her father worked for Libby, McNeill, Libby International, which produced canned and frozen foods.

Tomassi studied architecture and design and went to Concord (Massachusetts) Academy, Fairfield University, New York's Parsons School of Design, and Arizona State University's School of Architecture.

Richard Branson's Ex-Wife

Richard Branson is a billionaire and the founder of the Virgin Group, which now controls over 400 companies in various sectors. According to Forbes, as of January 2022, Branson has an estimated net worth of $3.9 billion. His massive wealth arises from many companies wearing the "Virgin" brand name, notably Virgin Atlantic and Virgin Galactic.

Tomassi and Branson got married in England on 22 July 1972 at Shipton-on-Holy Cherwell's Cross Church. At the time, Branson was 21, and Tomassi was 20.

In 1974, he and Tomassi traveled to Cozumel to mend their marriage, which many affairs had hindered on both sides. While the couple was on a deep-sea boat ride at Cozumel, they were hit by a severe storm. 

They urged others to try to swim with them to safety, believing the boat could not sustain another onslaught. However, nobody wanted to be a part of it. Despite ten-foot waves, the pair managed to make it to land. Unfortunately, the boat and its passengers were never seen again.

After surviving the storm and the fight between each other, Tomassi left with Kevin Ayers, a singer, and moved to Hydra. Branson followed them, but he could not win her back.

Tomassi and Branson eventually divorced in 1979. The couple didn't have any children together. Branson later married Joan Templeman, with whom he has been married for over 30 years.

In Branson's autobiography, 'Losing My Virginity,' he speculates that their marriage may have failed for a more core reason. "Kristen and I had a bizarre sexual allergy to each other." He stated. "Whenever we made love a painful rash spread across me which would take about three weeks to heal. We went to a number of doctors but we never resolved the problem. I even had a circumcision to try to stop the reaction," he wrote.

Kristen Tomassi and Kevin Ayers

Branson lost Tomassi to Kevin Ayers, the former singer of Soft Machine, at a wife-swapping party on a houseboat in Little Venice. Tomassi and Kevin Ayers also have a daughter named Galen, who is also a musician. 

Ayers, being an addict to alcohol, had already given up his fame and spent his life on alcohol. Unfortunately, he died on 18 February 2013 at 68, leaving Galen with his estate, music, and unpaid tax bills.

On 16 August 2020, Tomasso wished Ayers on his 76th birth anniversary with the caption, "Happy Birthday Kevin. You were loved, you are loved."

Is Kristen Tomassi Married?

Tomassi married Axel after Kevin Ayers' death, and the couple is still together. With her Axel, she has a son named Nicholas Ball. 

On 27 May 2019, she shared a photo with her husband on their anniversary with the caption, "Happy Anniversary! Many lifetimes." 

In August 2020, Tomassi shared a picture of her daughter Galen Ayers on Instagram and wrote, "Welcome home baby." Tomassi is also a grandmother to her 6-year-old grandson and 3-year-old granddaughter.

Did You Know?

• There is no wikipedia page by Tomassi's name.
• Tomassi has an Instagram handle under the username kristendesoller, where she shares pictures of her family and personal life.