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25 November 2021

Richard Branson celebrates his 72th birthday with a cruise ship full of lookalikes 

Not one to miss out on a mega party, Sir Richard Branson has - at last - celebrated his delayed 70th birthday in a secret bash arranged by family and friends.  

Aboard one of Virgin Voyages newest cruise ships, Branson had a blast for five full-on days, partying hard and enjoying a diving trip in the caves in Rio Secreto in Mexico with guests who were all dressed as ‘Richard Branson through the Decades’, from student Richard in the 1960s, to balloon flying Richard and Richard the space innovator -  very different outfits, but each worn with the exact same beard.

Other shore excursions included the incredible Virgin Voyages beach club in Bimini, in the Bahamas.Virgin Voyages is teamed up with Virgin Unite, the independent foundation of the Virgin Group, to create the ‘Sea Change Fund’ to support mangrove forest restoration projects in the Caribbean. Mangrove forests help protect coastal communities against natural disasters and play a vital role in reducing the effects of climate change. They also support biodiversity by providing essential habitat for birds, fish and other animals. During his trip, Sir Richard was able to see that this work has begun and is started to take shape with the help of partners in the region.

Richard’s musician son Sam performed a song called Sympathy for the Legend, inspired by the Rolling Stones hit. Richard, who actually celebrated his 70th birthday on his 72nd birthday due to a two-year delay because of COVID-19, had no idea about anything that had been planned in advance due to the extraordinary secrecy of the surprise event.