Hong Kong’s second-richest billionaire Lee Shau Kee stayed unmarried for 40 years after divorce from beauty queen, citing ‘fear of losing freedom’

Hong Kong's second-richest billionaire Lee Shau Kee attends a news conference as he announces his retirement after the company's general meeting in Hong Kong, May 28, 2019. Photo by AP

According to Sohu, Lee and Lau 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 later had three daughters and two sons.

The couple parted ways in 1985 when Lee was 57, and he chose to stay single, raising his children alone until his passing at 97 on March 17. His autobiography, released in 2010, reveals his long-term singlehood was largely due to his "fear of being tied down."

"For decades, I have avoided wearing glasses, rings, necklaces, and watches, opting only for a fabric belt," he wrote. "Having been single for many years, I have grown accustomed to it and now feel both free and happy."

Lee also expressed concerns about the complexities of remarrying and starting another family at his age, worried about the care and upbringing of potential new children and the physical toll a younger or similarly aged partner might entail.

"If I were to marry someone younger, the age difference could mean I might not have the energy to be with her for the rest of her life," he detailed. "Conversely, marrying someone my age could pose a burden due to potential health issues."

He clarified that his reluctance to remarry was not due to his previous divorce but stemmed from a cautious approach influenced by the social environment. He mentioned that he and his ex-wife still maintained a positive relationship, with Lau sending him gifts of calligraphy and paintings inscribed with the words "carefree" and "spring brings blessings" for his birthday.

In his later years, Lee shifted his priorities from career to health and family, cherishing time spent with his five children and grandchildren, who brought immense joy to his life, he said.

"What I enjoy most now is spending time with my five children and grandchildren. They are the people I cherish the most," he shared in his autobiography. "Seeing their broad smiles makes me truly happy."

Born in 1928, Lee was the fourth child in a merchant family from Guangdong province, southern China, earning him the nickname "Uncle Four," as per Forbes. As a pioneering figure among Hong Kong’s first generation of property developers, he amassed significant wealth in the 1960s and 1970s when the city was in desperate need of affordable housing.

Together with Fung King Hey and Kwok Tak Seng, Lee founded Sun Hung Kai Properties, which soon became the city’s largest developer, Bloomberg reported. The company prospered dramatically as land prices in Hong Kong soared during the 1960s, turning all three founders into billionaires, famously dubbed the "Three Musketeers."

Lee left the firm in 1973 and went on to establish Henderson Land three years later, which was listed on the Hong Kong Stock Exchange in 1981. He successfully expanded this enterprise into a major conglomerate controlling several listed companies in Hong Kong.

By 1996, as the firm flourished, his net worth reached US$12.7 billion, making him Asia’s richest person and the fourth wealthiest globally, following Bill Gates, Warren Buffett, and Paul Sacher.

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