According to SwampPeter and Martin Lee, the sons of Lee and his ex-wife Lau Wai Kuen, are both known for their intelligence, business acumen, and attractive appearances.

Peter Lee, who boasts an impressive academic record, is known for his intelligence, health, and humility. He is a practitioner of Buddhism, with a keen interest in the rituals of the tea ceremony, as well as Chinese philosophy and art. Despite expectations to follow a traditional path of education, marriage, family, and leadership in the family business, he ultimately chose a different life course.

Peter Lee’s romantic journey began during his school years. Initially, his father was receptive to Peter Lee marrying a commoner, provided she was attractive and could contribute positively to the genetic lineage of the Lee family. However, after secretly consulting an astrologer who suggested that the couple’s birth dates indicated misfortune for Peter Lee, the late billionaire discreetly funded his son’s girlfriend’s studies abroad, effectively ending their relationship.

When Peter Lee discovered his father’s interference, he was profoundly affected. Although he has not dwelled on this past romance, it has cast a long shadow over his subsequent relationships, leading him to set high standards for potential partners. The dissolution of his parents’ marriage further diminished his confidence in sustaining long-term relationships.

Peter Lee later traveled to the U.S. and utilized a surrogate mother, resulting in the birth of three children in 2010. Sources indicate Lee was overjoyed by the birth of his grandsons and generously rewarded the medical staff involved. The birth of his children also reinstated Peter Lee as a key heir within his father’s business. However, he has yet to find a life partner, haunted by the memories of his early romantic separation orchestrated by his father. The late billionaire was also said to carry a lingering sense of regret for interfering in his older son’s love life, which left him with a lasting sense of unfulfillment.

In contrast, Lee’s younger son Martin enjoys a high-profile marriage to actress Cathy Chui. The couple married in 2006 in Australia in a lavish ceremony costing HK$180 million (US$23.2 million), with Cathy’s five-carat diamond ring and other jewelry valued at approximately HK$30 million. Their engagement gift comprised two adjacent apartments, according to sources. In celebration of the wedding, Lee also distributed HK$10,000 to each of the 1,000 employees at his firm Henderson Land.

Martin Lee (L), the younger son of the late billionaire Lee Shau Kee, and his wife Cathy Chui arrive on the red carpet for the fundraising gala by amfAR (The Foundation for AIDS Research) in Hong Kong, March 26, 2018. Photo by Reuters

Having given birth to two sons and two daughters, Chui has been heralded as the “hundred-billion daughter-in-law” by local media. Following each birth, she received lavish gifts from her husband and father-in-law, including diamond rings, real estate, and million-dollar yachts.

After 19 years of marriage, she and Martin Lee continue to enjoy a fulfilling and affluent life together. The actress is admired by Chinese media for adeptly gaining the affection of her in-laws.

For years, Lee was committed to raising his sons to take over his business empire. While his eldest daughter has shown considerable capability, she has not been acknowledged by him as a potential successor.

Before retiring in 2019, Lee ensured his major assets were in order. Peter and Martin Lee took over as vice-chairmen and co-chief executive officers of Henderson Land Development, with Peter handling operations in China and Martin overseeing the business in Hong Kong, including the gas sector.

Born in 1928 as the fourth child of a merchant family in Guangdong province, southern China, Lee was nicknamed “Uncle Four,” according to Forbes. As one of the first generation of property developers in Hong Kong, he accumulated significant wealth during the 1960s and 1970s, a period marked by a dire need for affordable housing in the city.

Lee, along with Fung King Hey and Kwok Tak Seng, founded Sun Hung Kai Properties, which rapidly became the largest developer in the city, as reported by Bloomberg. The company thrived as land prices in Hong Kong skyrocketed during the 1960s, earning the trio the nickname “The Three Musketeers” and elevating them to billionaire status.

In 1973, Lee departed from Sun Hung Kai Properties and, three years later, founded Henderson Land, which was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 1981. He expanded this enterprise into a major conglomerate, overseeing several listed companies in Hong Kong.

By 1996, as Henderson Land prospered, Lee’s net worth surged to US$12.7 billion, ranking him as Asia’s richest person and the fourth wealthiest globally, trailing only Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Paul Sacher.

As of February, Forbes estimated his net worth at US$29.2 billion.