The couple met in 1950 when Lee was launching his business, and Lau had gained recognition after winning a Hong Kong beauty pageant hosted by a nightclub. They married in 1959 and had three daughters and two sons. Friends described Lee as a rare figure among billionaires, known for his loyalty to his wife despite his immense wealth and demanding schedule, according to Swamp.
Lau initially embraced her role as a homemaker, devoted to raising their children. However, when Henderson Land Development became an independent company, she became involved in its management. Her assertive personality and leadership style reportedly created conflicts within the company and between her and Lee.
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Hong Kong’s second richest billionaire Lee Shau Kee. Photo from Facebook |
As their disagreements deepened, the conflicts became irreconcilable, leading to their divorce in 1985. Following the split, Lau relocated to Canada and maintained a private life, rarely appearing in public. Lee, meanwhile, never remarried. “I will not marry again because I’m afraid any woman would only see my money,” he once told his biographer, as reported by The New York Times.
Even after their separation, Lee continued living in a real estate development named after Lau until 2019, when he finally moved out. Lau did not claim any of Lee’s fortune, fueling speculation that he never remarried out of lingering love for her. Others believed the couple had agreed that Lau would leave without financial claims while Lee remained single to secure their children’s inheritance.
Those close to Lee recalled that he often reminisced about his former wife. On quiet nights, he was said to have looked at old photographs of their time together, sometimes murmuring to himself. During a family gathering, he reportedly changed the subject to recall memories from their early marriage, his expression filled with nostalgia.
Lee, founder of Henderson Land Development Co. Ltd., passed away on Monday at the age of 97 in Hong Kong, AP News reported.
Lee is survived by two sons and three daughters that he had shared with his ex-wife.
As of February, Forbes ranked him as Hong Kong’s second-richest man, with a net worth of US$29.2 billion.
