When HBO’s Succession TV series was released in 2018, it gave viewers an insight into the fictional lives of the ultra-wealthy Logan family, which controls the biggest media company on the planet. Reports suggest that it’s loosely based on the Murdochs, but whoever the show is based on, it’s given viewers a glimpse into the world of New York politics, media mogul jostling and the not-always-easy lives of the children of the city’s most prominent figures.
Michael Bloomberg is just such a figure – considered one of the most influential people in the media, he’s accumulated a US$76 billion net worth since co-founding financial information and media company Bloomberg in 1981, per Forbes.
He’s also a former New York mayor who ran as a presidential candidate back in 2020 against Donald Trump – a rivalry that The Guardian later described as “fierce”, and calling them “mortal enemies”.
But for Bloomberg’s daughter, Georgina, taking over the media company or joining politics doesn’t seem to be on the cards – at least not for now, anyway. The lesser-known heiress recently made headlines for taking People magazine behind the scenes of her preparations for the Humane Society’s annual To the Rescue! Gala, for whom she serves as a co-chair.
So, what else do we know about the 39-year-old?
A New York upbringing
Georgina was born in the Big Apple in 1983, to Michael Bloomberg and his then-wife Susan Brown. The couple have another daughter, Emma, who’s 43.
She studied at New York prep school The Spence School, which was used as inspiration and as a filming location for The CW’s Gossip Girl TV series, according to Business Insider. Georgina then attended NYU (like Blair Waldorf!) and took up a course at Parsons School of Design, according to the same source.
She’s now based in both New York City and Florida, according to her website.
‘Not rich’?
In a 2003 documentary called Born Rich, Georgina said, “Having the last name Bloomberg sucks.” Five years later, the BMW-driving heiress said in another interview with British media: “I’m not rich, my father’s rich. When I go shopping, that’s my own money.”
But she’s since changed her tune regarding the first comment, saying in a 2017 conversation with Town & Country magazine that she’s now “proud” of her last name.
“I’ve come to have a lot more respect for my parents and my last name and everything that my father has done and how hard he worked to provide a great life for us,” she said.
An equestrian champ
For her part, Bloomberg has built an impressive career in professional show jumping. She’s had several big wins, achieving five WEF Challenge Cup titles in Wellington, first place at the Empire State Grand Prix at the 2010 Lake Placid Horse Show, and celebrating a US team victory at the Furusiyya FEI Nations Cup in Gijón in Spain, according to her website. And all this from a woman who has suffered two major injuries during her lifetime.
Besides her illustrious riding career, Bloomberg has also co-authored four young adult novels about horses and was once signed as an equestrian ambassador for Lugano Diamonds.
A-list pals
Although Bloomberg wasn’t known to frequent the socialite scene as much as some of her peers, she’s still made connections with many of New York’s biggest names. In 2007, Forbes ranked her No 4 on its “Most Intriguing Billionaire Heiress” list.
Bloomberg has said she’s still close with Donald Trump’s kids Ivanka and Eric, telling Politico back in 2016 that, “Our friendship has nothing to do with who our fathers [Bloomberg and Trump] are, or what their relationship becomes.” She’s also been pictured with fellow media tycoon daughter Amanda Hearst.
She’s an animal-lover … who dated a hunting enthusiast
A quick peek at Bloomberg’s Instagram page shows that her love for animals extends way beyond horses – in fact, according to Business Insider, she has four dogs, a goat, two mini-horses and two mules (all rescues) that live with her on her farm in North Salem, New York.
Bloomberg is also active in animal rights advocacy and works to ban puppy mills across the US, reports People. “I got to the age that I realised just sort of loving animals and having them in my life wasn’t really enough. I needed to be doing something really active to help them,” she told the publication.
Despite her new-found drive to help, The Cut pointed out back in 2017 that Bloomberg was dating Carlos Arruza Jr., a hunting enthusiast who posted photos on social media of wild animals he’d killed on trips.
She’s engaged!
It seems she’s moved on since then, however, as it was reported in April that Bloomberg is now engaged to Justin Waterman, a partner at investment firm Summit Trail.
According to British media, the couple attended Jennifer Gates’ wedding together last year, as well as this year’s Met Gala.
A doting mum
Bloomberg shares an eight-year-old son called Jasper with her ex-boyfriend, Argentine Olympic show jumper Ramiro Quintana.
“Jasper’s father will always be in his life and be a friend figure to him, but he is not involved in the day-to-day,” she told People in 2020.
Her new fiancé Waterman also has three kids with his ex-wife, reports Hollywood Life.
Note: This story was originally published on SCMP and has been republished on this website.
