Richard Cousins and his new fiancée Emma Bowden had been on the Sydney Seaplane tour with their family when it crashed into the water in Hawkesbury River on New Year's Eve
A MILLIONAIRE who died with his family when their seaplane crashed in Sydney had everything to live for, friends said last night.
Richard Cousins, 58, hailed as one of the greatest businessmen of his generation, was due to retire in March and wed fiancée Emma Bowden in July.
They were killed on the sight-seeing flight with his two sons, William, 25, and Edward, 23, and Emma’s daughter Heather, 11.
Emma, 48, , was known as “Grace Kelly” for her serene and smiling attitude.
William was respected across Westminster for his work with Remain in the Brexit referendum.
His brother studied at the University of St Andrews and dreamed of joining the police, while Heather was loving life at a new school.
Richard, boss of the world’s biggest catering firm Compass, lost wife Caroline, 55, to cancer in 2015, just six weeks after she was diagnosed.
He found love again with Emma and wedding guests received their invitations just four days ago.
But the family’s idyllic life was cruelly snuffed out in the New Year’s Eve crash that also killed pilot Gareth Morgan, 44.
Cricket fan Richard had taken the family to Australia to watch England in The Ashes.
He had looked after his late wife’s brother Ian Thorpe, buying him a £215,000 house in 2014.
Ian said last night: “Edward and William had grown into such fantastic young men.
“Richard was smitten with Emma. I still can’t believe they are gone.”
Neighbour Lata Maisuria, of Tooting, South West London, said: “They were happy-go-lucky people.”
Asked if the family had everything to live for, Lata said: “Yes. You plan things in your life then all of a sudden you’re not going to achieve that.
“Heather went to school happily and you think of her coming back telling friends about her holiday.”
The Sun told yesterday how the family paid £310 each to fly from Rose Bay, Sydney, 20 miles north to a posh meal at Cottage Point Inn.
They were returning with sight-seeing firm Sydney Seaplanes when their craft nosedived into Jerusalem Bay at 3.10pm local time on Sunday.
Aussie Todd Sellars, staying on a houseboat 50 yards away, swam to the plane and tried to release the door as it sank in 30ft of water.
He said: “I just thought the plane was coming in low doing a flyby, but when we looked out on the corner it just nosedived.
“The plane was pretty long so it was prob-ably three to four metres under the water by the time we got down to it. I ran my hands through the windows but I couldn’t open the door. It was sinking too fast.”
Authorities are still trying to work out what went wrong, given the pilot’s huge experience and no known faults on the plane.
Celebrities including Leonardo DiCaprio, Hugh Jackman and Ed Sheeran have flown with the firm.
Pippa Middleton and husband James Matthews took a trip on the plane on their honeymoon in May.
Mr Cousins took over at contract caterers Compass in 2006 during the controversy over its unhealthy Turkey Twizzlers in schools.
The firm’s finances were also in bad shape but it is now the world’s largest caterer by sales.
PR man Roland Rudd, who represents Compass, said: “He was one of the greatest businessmen of his generation; had little interest in self-promotion and a healthy disregard for pomposity and red tape.”
Dominic Blakemore, Mr Cousins’ successor as CEO, said: “For the past six years Richard has been a friend and mentor. He combined Yorkshire grit with a wonderful sense of humour. We will miss him terribly.”
Neil Doody, 76, president of Finchampstead cricket club in Berkshire where the millionaire once played, said: “Everyone is numb. Richard and his two brothers grew up here and their late dad Phil was vice- president.”
Mr Cousins was a member of all 18 first-class cricket counties and a regular at Surrey.
A former neighbour in the Chilterns, where the businessman kept a £1.7million home, said tragic Caroline had wanted him to find happiness again.
The neighbour added: “Richard was the happiest he’d been since his wife’s death. They were a lovely family. He was so looking forward to the wedding.
“The invite came the day before yesterday. The engagement party was set for March with the wedding on July 20. Heather was going to be a bridesmaid and the boys the best men.”
OK! editor Kirsty Tyler said: “Emma was a popular and long-standing member of staff who will be greatly missed by all.”
MPs paid tribute to Labour Party worker William, previously head of press for pro-EU campaign group Open Britain.
Former shadow chancellor Chris Leslie said: “Will Cousins was an exceptionally talented head of press for Open Britain.”
Tory Anna Soubry tweeted: “Will was a lovely young man (so calm & patient). He came from a remarkable family.”
