Richard Branson and other sea life in captivity for entertainment purposes. In November 2017, singer Antonia Jenae, a backing singer for Joss Stone, claimed Branson sexually assaulted her at Necker Island. A spokesperson for Branson confirmed to "The Sun" newspaper that members of the band had been invited for a party on the island in 2010, but that he and friends and family in attendance had "no recollection" of the events. Branson later apologised. In November 2010, Branson secured a sponsorship deal from controversial company QNet for his Virgin Racing which is owned by QI Group head by Vijay Eswaran, who is
Richard Branson at US$5.1 billion. Branson was born in Blackheath, London, the eldest of three children of Eve Branson ("née" Evette Huntley Flindt; born 1924), a former ballet dancer and air hostess, and Edward James Branson (1918–2011), a barrister. He has two younger sisters. His grandfather, the Right Honourable Sir George Arthur Harwin Branson, was a judge of the High Court of Justice and a Privy Councillor. Branson was educated at Scaitcliffe School, a prep school in Surrey, before briefly attending Cliff View House School in Sussex. His third great-grandfather, John Edward Branson, left England for India in 1793; John Edward's father,