Friends have paid tribute to the late Leung Chai-yan, daughter of former Hong Kong leader Leung Chun-ying, saying she will be remembered as a “kind, clever, animal-loving and caring woman” who loved her Chinese heritage deeply.
She was “much more than a public figure”, Leung’s former schoolmates from Wycombe Abbey, a private boarding school for girls in Buckinghamshire, England, said in a heartfelt letter sent to the Post.
She was “intelligent and studious, with the potential to pursue whatever career she wanted”, they wrote. Among those who paid tribute in the letter were Arch Hades, Ella Robertson McKay and Yvette Tetteh.
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Leung attended the school between 2004 and 2010.
“Chai-yan Leung was our friend before she became a public figure,” they said.
“We knew her as our boarding school dorm mate and, later, neighbour with a unique sense of humour, a mercurial energy and a brilliance that made her unforgettable.”
Leung died last week at the age of 33, with her father confirming the news on social media, saying she had “passed away, very suddenly” and “left without saying a word, simply lying peacefully in bed”.
He added: “We are grateful for police and forensic investigations, which have ruled out suicide and other suspicious circumstances.”
Police said a 33-year-old woman, surnamed Leung, had been found unresponsive by building staff at her home in Chai Wan late on Tuesday last week.
In the letter, Leung Chai-yan’s friends called her “a phenomenal mathematician and linguist; a gifted harpist and pianist from a young age; and someone who could bring down the house in a comedic school play”.
They recalled her “singular and sometimes misunderstood” sense of humour, which “lives on in the photos, videos, and voice notes still shared between us, each one a reminder of how sharply funny and creative she could be”.
“We’ll treasure them always,” they wrote.
The letter also highlighted Leung’s deep familial bonds.
“To us, Chai-yan always emphasised her deep respect and love for her family, and her pride in their many accomplishments,” they wrote.
Her friends specifically mentioned her admiration for her sister Chung-yan, who also attended the school, noting that Chai-yan was always “excited to give us updates on the impressive international work of her sister”.
They touched on her profound connection with animals, saying: “Her true children were her pets: she was a devoted dog lover and poured herself into taking incredible care of her own ‘fur babies’ and other rescues, including Rusty, Speedy, Guju, Lafite, Bond, Scotty, Charlie and Belle.”
They cherished the memory of “deep meaningful conversations on dog walks” and remembered her as “a loyal friend, always cheering on those she loved and finding genuine joy in their successes”.
“Chai-yan was a patriot and loved Hong Kong and Chinese culture,” her friends also wrote.
“Without fail, she would wish all her British friends a happy Chinese New Year – reflecting her thoughtfulness and pride in where she came from.”
They also recounted how she “taught some of us the Chinese language at school, enabling one of our friendship group to go on and co-found a business in China, sparked by Chai-yan’s generosity of spirit all those years ago”.
“Chai-yan also helped open up public conversations around mental health, helping shift the conversation at a time when few dared to,” her friends noted.
They said “she did so while facing online abuse and violations of her privacy”, expressing hope that “her openness made others feel less alone”.
“Her courage should be remembered,” the letter concluded.
In Leung’s last Instagram post, dated March 6, she wrote that she was “really sick” and would “revert back in three to five business days”.
Another post earlier that month conveyed that she felt 2024 “was just somehow not [her] year” and called it a “horror show, day after day”.
Leung was the subject of heavy scrutiny throughout her father’s political career and time as chief executive.
In December 2016, Leung Chun-ying announced he would not seek a second term to spare his family any “unbearable pressure due to my electioneering”.
More from South China Morning Post:
- Chai-yan, elder daughter of ex-Hong Kong leader CY Leung, dies at 33
- Hundreds gather in Hong Kong to pay tribute to film, Cantopop legend Leslie Cheung
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