Your support helps us to tell the story
Post Officecampaigner Sir Alan Bates has married his partner Suzanne Sercombe on Sir Richard Branson’s Necker Island.
The wedding was officiated by the Virgin billionaire on his private island in the British Virgin Islands last month, according to The Sunday Times.
Sir Richard reportedly invited the couple to the island after Sir Alan, 70, said in an interview in January: “If Richard Branson is reading this, I’d love a holiday.”
The wedding came as a surprise to the new Lady Bates, 69, who had to wear a patterned sundress she had packed for the holiday, the newspaper reported.
Sir Richard, 74, told The Sunday Times: “It was an absolute joy to play a small part in Alan and Suzanne’s love story, and I know they will continue to spread the beautiful light they share with everyone around them.”
Born in Liverpool, campaigner Sir Alan rose to prominence after a TV drama shone a spotlight on how he was forced to lead a campaign on behalf of subpostmasters following one of the biggest miscarriages of justice in UK history.
Sir Alan received a knighthood in June 2024 for his campaigning which he described as “a bit of a surprise” which “ sort of came out of the blue”.
“I’m quite honoured by it – to be recognised for the work that I’ve done over the years,” he said.
“It’s been a hard slog over many years.”
The campaigner was played by Toby Jones in the ITV drama Mr Bates Vs The Post Office.
The British Post Office scandal was uncovered in 2019 in which thousands of subpostmasters were accused of being deceitful when faulty Post Office accounting software created shortfalls in people’s accounts.
The show drew renewed public attention to the subpostmasters who were wrongly prosecuted during the Horizon IT scandal.
Over 700 subpostmasters were prosecuted by the Post Office and given criminal convictions between 1999 and 2015, as Fujitsu’s faulty Horizon IT system made it appear as though money was missing at their branches.
Actress Julie Hesmondhalgh, who played Sir Alan’s wife in the ITV drama, said Suzanne is “the wind beneath his wings”.
The Post Office Inquiry will continue on September 23.
