Yup. The Princess of Wales’ entrepreneurial bro once lived in the fragrant harbour, back in 2016.
But it’s not just James who has links to the city. Pippa, the middle Middleton child, also has a connection to Hong Kong. Kate’s sister, who went viral for her show-stopping appearance at the royal couple’s 2011 wedding, used to date Jonathan “JJ” Jardine Paterson, an heir to the Jardine Matheson Hong Kong banking fortune, per the Evening Standard.
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Here’s a refresher on the two Middletons’ former ties to Hong Kong.
James Middleton’s business move
James moved to Hong Kong in 2016 after splitting from his then-girlfriend, British presenter Donna Air, per Yahoo. He made the big move in an attempt to expand his marshmallow business, Boomf. Middleton, an avid dog lover, brought his cocker spaniel Ella for the three-month stay, according to the source.
For its first appearance in the city, Boomf launched at the inaugural Food Truck Festival at Central’s PMQ, as previously reported. Middleton’s then-business partner Andy Bell stated at the time, “It makes sense for Boomf to launch here,” adding that “Hongkongers are open-minded and fun loving and we’re sure they will get the multisensory delight that is the edible selfie.”
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Mahjong marshmallows and more
Quirky treats launched by Middleton and the team to appeal to Hongkongers included mahjong-shaped marshmallow tiles.
“These are extremely popular in Hong Kong and the Asian market, however as it is not readily played worldwide we don’t see many Mahjong orders to the rest of the world,” Middleton told Quintessentially, a lifestyle management group.
It seems like he had a good time during his stay. “[In Hong Kong], I’ve learned that there’s a wonderful gifting culture here. In a lot of other cities, everyone’s out fighting for themselves, not looking out for anybody else. In some countries you might just give someone a gift on their birthday or for a seasonal event. Here I would give a gift just because you’re my friend and I care about you,” he previously shared in an interview.
While Kate didn’t stop by during her brother’s HK stint, he did insinuate that his famous family members often got to taste test his creations. “Being an uncle, I’ve got to be more creative with my gifts rather than just coming up with what I do at work. My family members are my guinea pigs: They have been so supportive and I get the most honest feedback from them. But frankly, they are a bit bored of my marshmallow chat,” he told Hong Kong media.
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Pippa Middleton once dated a Hong Kong banking heir
Kate’s sister is now known to be happily married to her billionaire husband James Matthew, but before the couple tied the knot in 2017, she was linked to a string of high-profile men, including one of our own – Jonathan “JJ” Jardine-Paterson.
Paterson is an heir to Jardine Matheson Hong Kong, per Evening Standard, which operates businesses including Wellcome and Market Place, 7-Eleven in Hong Kong, Macau and Singapore, Mandarin Oriental, and property developer giant Hongkong Land, just to name a few, according to its website.
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Per Hello!, she dated Paterson while she was studying at Edinburgh University for three years.
They reportedly ended their romance on good terms and Paterson now works as a director of capital development at Marble Bar Asset Management LLP in London, per his LinkedIn.
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