The Virgin empire boss surprised his daughter, Holly, on her special day by getting 11-year-old Cleo Filander, from Vereeniging, south of Joburg to sing Susan Boyle's "Proud" via a video link. Holly married Fred Andrews on the Branson family's Necker Island in the Caribbean. The main house was destroyed in a fire earlier this year.

Said an excited Cleo this week: "It was very tiring, but I enjoyed it."

The song and video were recorded in one day and flighted to the couple. At the end of the song, Cleo lifts a poster with a message from Branson to the newlyweds which reads: "To Holly & Freddie, Wishing you many happy years together, Lots of love, Dad."

Cleo has kept the poster as a memento. A pupil at Milton Primary School in Three Rivers, near Vereeniging, Cleo passed Grade 5 this year with flying colours .

But, she said, she would not follow a music career just yet as she is more interested in becoming a veterinarian. "For me, music is just a hobby."

Cleo shot to prominence when she finished third in the first series of reality show SA's Got Talent in 2009.

Branson first saw her perform two weeks ago at the launch of his book "Screw Business As Usual" in Joburg.