THE lesbian daughter of a flamboyant Hong Kong tycoon who publicly offered millions of pounds to any man who could woo her into marriage has appealed to her father in an open letter to accept her for who she is.

Cecil Chao made headlines in 2012 when he tried to find a man who could successfully win his daughter Gigi Chao away from her partner by offering £38 million, an offer a newspaper which interviewed him last week said he has doubled.

In a letter to her father published by two Hong Kong newspapers yesterday, Gigi Chao said she knows it is "difficult for you to understand, let alone accept" how she could be romantically attracted to a woman.

The tycoon made his offer after learning his daughter had eloped with her partner Sean Eav to France where they had a church blessing.

Ms Chao, 34, added: "It would mean the world to me if you could just not be so terrified of her and treat her like a normal, dignified human being".

Property developer Mr Chao has a reputation for being a playboy with a love for Rolls-Royces.