The couple were catapulted into the world of the super-rich after Li’s idea of building shopping centres in disused Chinese air-raid shelters earned her an estimated £1.1billion by 2011 and placed her on The Sunday Times Rich List.
Tony Hawken, 57, is divorcing his wife Xiu Li, 51, Britain’s wealthiest woman entrepreneur, because he says he doesn’t like being rich and is ‘not in the habit’ of spending lots of money
The pair traded up their semi-detached home in South Norwood, London, and bought a £1.5million house in Surrey.
Li, who is now worth $1.2billion (£700million) according to Forbes, quickly settled into a life which included sipping a £900 bottle of wine on a luxurious yacht.
However, Mr Hawken says he felt more comfortable getting lunch in his local Wetherspoon’s.
Despite his sudden wealth he continued to buy books from charity shops, and shunned designer clothes.
Now the couple have decided to part, Mr Hawken will walk away with just £1million, but says it will be enough for him.