BOLDER & BEAUTIFUL

Georgina Wilson-Burnand, makes a graceful return after many years, embodying the best version of herself yet 

- Maritess Garcia Reyes

I have to do 15,000 steps every day, which is why I am walking right now,” says Georgina Wilson-Burnand from Shanghai as Tatler speaks to her over the phone one sunny day before the Easter break. The cover star moved to the Chinese city early this year with her husband, Arthur Burnand, and three children, Archie, Alfie and Charlotte.

“We moved quite abruptly,” says WilsonBurnand, something that is not unfamiliar due to the nature of her husband’s job—Burnand works for international property developer Swire Properties. But that doesn’t stop her from always being excited to discover what a new city can add to her family’s colourful and adventurous life. “Many people don’t know how beautiful Shanghai is. It’s such a green city,” she says.

The family lives in the historic former French Concession, famous for its gorgeous tree-lined streets, museums, art galleries, hip cafés, breweries and dining spots. However, there’s plenty for little ones to do. “I think people also don’t know how child-friendly Shanghai is. It’s so fun for the kids: we go to the aquarium often, and there’s a dinosaur museum in the middle of the city,” Wilson-Burnand says. She is also excited about the city’s vibrant culinary scene, especially the fusion of western and traditional Chinese cuisine, all adding to an experience even more significant than the sum of its parts. “There’s the best coffee … the best ice cream. So, for me, it feels like a European city in Asia. Sometimes, because of the energy, it can also feel like New York.”