Kristen Tomassi

Kristen Tomassi is an American interior designer and architect. However, Kristen is better known as the first wife of famous billionaire and Virgin Group CEO Richard Branson. Her husband was the first person to ride into space using his company-developed space shuttle. 

The gorgeous lady has lived quite a romantic life and is currently happily married to her third husband. She has managed many businesses through different industries and even founded a charity and non-profit, Niños de Las Galeras.

Kristen Tomassi and Her Failed First Marriage:  

As mentioned above, Kristen Tomassi was married to current billionaire and entrepreneur, Richard Branson. Their wedding was a gorgeous Anglican ceremony in Shipton-on-Cherwell in Oxfordshire, England.

It should be noted that Branson is British. Moreover, Richard was even awarded a knighthood by the current King Charles III in 2000.

Kristen and Branson tied the knot on 22 July 1972 when Tomassi was twenty and Richard was twenty-one. At first sight, Richard fell for the gorgeous blonde and left nothing to chance.

While the billionaire's pursuit of Kristen was quite dedicated, their relationship didn't last. Sadly, the pair had a tumultuous relationship in their marriage.  

Why did Kristen and Branson Divorce?

Well, according to Richard Branson's 1998 autobiography, Losing My Virginity: How I've Survived, Had Fun, and Made a Fortune Doing Business My Way, his first marriage had issues from the start. 

But Branson was very smitten with his new bride, Kristen Tomassi. Richard and Tommasi tried to make it work.

Even in the early days, the couple did not feel sexually compatible due to the strange reason that Richard suffered from an allergy every time they shared intimacy. The pair tried multiple treatment options and visited many doctors, and Richard even got circumcised but to no avail.   

The Ex-Couple Tomassi & Branson  Tried The Partner-Swapping

In the end, Kristen Tomassi & Richard Branson opened their relationship. Later, they tried partner-swapping with the then-married couple, Kevin Ayers & Cyrille Ayers. Sadly, this experiment led to an inevitable breakup. 

While the chemistry between Richard & Cyrille fizzled quite quickly. On the other hand, Kristen & Kevin surprisingly became close to each other. Ultimately, Kristen left Richard for Kevin Ayers.

One of the reasons for Kristen leaving is reported to be a boating incident in 1974. While the pair were on a passenger-filled deep-sea boat ride at Cozumel, a storm occurred. The couple escaped by swimming in the troubled waters but other passengers did not choose to do so. 

Their experience escaping the storm and the shock of realizing the sad fate of the other passengers resulted in a fight that ended with Kristen leaving Richard Branson.

Relationship Between Kristen Tomassi And Kevin Ayers

Budding English musician Kevin Ayers became a shining beacon for Kristen. They ran off together and settled in a London flat. 

Richard was very upset and made multiple attempts to win her back for more than a year. The pair allegedly tied the knot before her first divorce was even finalized, so their marriage may not be legal. 

Sadly, the pair split up after five years together. It is reported that this was because Kevin had a very precarious lifestyle. They did maintain a good relationship as co-parents. Kevin sadly passed away on 18 February 2013.

Kristen and Kevin Welcomed A Daughter 

Kristen and Kevin have a daughter together named Galen Ayers. She is Kristen's firstborn child. 

Galen is married to award-winning Jamaican-born British-Australian director and producer Stephen J. Hopkins.  She followed in her father's footsteps and became a singer and musician. 

Kristen's Relationship With Richard Branson After Their Split

Kristen and Richard stayed friends after their divorce in 1979. One of the factors to this was that Richard had found the love of his life in Joan Templeman. 

Branson went on to marry Joan in 1989 and they have been happily together for more than thirty years. They tied the knot after dating for about a decade.

When Richard Branson bought a hotel in Majorca, he invited his ex-wife Kristen to run it for him. This is where Kristen would meet her new partner, Axel Dieter Ball.  

Kristen Tomassi Married Axel Dieter Ball

While working for her ex-husband, Kristen met his German business partner, Axel Dieter Ball. He is a wealthy property developer. The pair hit it off and ran the hotel together for years. 

They tied the knot on May 27 of an unspecified year. The romantic couple has been together for a long time and shares a son named Nicholas Ball. 

Kristen Tomassi's Son Is Married To An Entrepreneur 

As mentioned above, Kristen's son is a married man. He is currently the CEO of Xfuel which focuses on decreasing carbon impact. As of now, he is happily married to Nadine Hawa, a former news presenter. 

His wife, Nadine currently works as an entrepreneur and has opened Ananda Retreats in Mallorca. The couple has two kids together.

Net Worth: How Rich Is Kristen Tomassi? 

As a reputed architect and interior designer just like Britt Bailey, Kristen has had a massively successful career. The net worth of Kristen Tomassi is estimated to be about $35 million.

On the other hand, Kristen's first husband, Richard Branson is estimated to be worth about $5.7 billion. Likewise, her current husband Axel Ball is also a multi-millionaire. 

Schooling & Education 

Kristen attended Concord Academy for high school and went to Fairfield University in Connecticut to further her education. She then went to the famous Parsons School of Design in New York to study design. 

After that, she did her majors in Architecture at Arizona State University's School of Architecture. Interestingly, Kristen continued her schooling even after getting married to then-millionaire Richard Branson. 

About Tomassi's Family 

The blonde architect celebrates her birthday on 10 August. Born in 1972 in Southport, Connecticut, to parents Joseph H. Tomassi and Jacqueline Tomassi, she was raised as a Christian. She has three sisters: Merril Delaney, Jacquelyn Richardson, and Lowell McHugh. 

Her father was a businessman who worked as a director at Libby, Mc. Neill and Libby International, doing international marketing. He passed away in  1990. She is an American citizen and her zodiac sign is Leo. 

What Is Kristen Doing?

As of right now, Kristen lives a relaxing semi-retired life with her husband Axel. They live in Mallorca, Soller enjoying their golden days. They go on walks together, garden, and spend time with their children and grandchildren. 

They both are also core members of Niños de Las Galeras which is a non-profit organization based in the Dominican Republic that Kristen helped found in 2013. 

Is Active On Instagram 

Kristen Tomassi is a very active lady. Despite her age, she remains active on social media, especially Instagram. Her handle is  @kristendesoller. She has about 500 followers.

Kristen is always posting bits of her idyllic life in Spain and sharing her children's achievements. She also posts pictures of her gardens.

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