Richard Li & Isabella Leong — Hong Kong's Tycoon and the Actress
The son of Hong Kong's richest man had three children with an actress half his age — but they never married, complicating everything.
Key Facts
What Happened
Richard Li, the second son of Li Ka-shing — once Asia's wealthiest person — began a relationship with Macanese actress Isabella Leong in 2008. Despite never marrying, the couple had three sons together, born through IVF. The relationship placed Leong, who was about 20 years younger than Li, at the intersection of enormous wealth and intense media scrutiny in Hong Kong.
In March 2011, Leong announced that she and Richard had amicably ended their relationship and that both would continue caring for their children. The announcement was carefully worded to avoid the language of divorce — because legally, there was no marriage to dissolve. This absence of a marriage certificate fundamentally changed the legal landscape.
Reports circulated that Richard had paid Isabella HKD 500 million (approximately $64 million) as a separation settlement, but Leong publicly denied this figure. What is confirmed is that Richard purchased an $85 million HKD luxury residence for her at Bel-Air Residence in Hong Kong and committed to ongoing financial support for her and their three sons.
The case took an additional twist when it was reported that Isabella and her children were excluded from Li Ka-shing's will — meaning the children's financial future depended entirely on their father Richard, not the family patriarch's estate. Leong later revealed that the intense media pressure and the power dynamics inherent in dating one of Asia's wealthiest heirs ultimately made the relationship unsustainable.
Legal Breakdown: How unmarried separations involving billionaires create unique legal challenges
Unmarried Separation vs. Divorce
Because Li and Leong never married, Hong Kong's divorce laws did not apply. Unmarried partners have far fewer rights to property division and financial support. Leong's financial security depended on Richard's voluntary commitments rather than court-ordered division.
Children's Inheritance Rights
The exclusion of Leong's children from Li Ka-shing's will highlights a critical risk: children born outside marriage to billionaire heirs may not have automatic inheritance rights from the grandparent's estate, depending on jurisdiction and trust structure.
Voluntary Support vs. Legal Obligation
Without a marriage, the financial arrangements between Li and Leong were essentially voluntary. While child support obligations exist regardless of marital status, the property transfer and personal support were gifts rather than legally mandated settlements.
What This Means for Your Divorce
- →Unmarried partners of billionaires have far fewer legal protections than married spouses — consider the implications before forgoing marriage.
- →Children born outside marriage may be excluded from family trusts and wills, even when the father is an active parent.
- →IVF-conceived children have the same legal rights as naturally conceived children, but inheritance from extended family is not guaranteed.
- →When separating from an unmarried partner, document all financial commitments in writing — voluntary promises are harder to enforce than court orders.
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This article is based on publicly available court records, news reports, and legal analysis. It is provided for educational purposes only and does not constitute legal advice. No attorney-client relationship is created by reading this content.
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