The head of a family of hospitality investors who revitalised the flagship Hamilton Princess & Beach Club, where flags were lowered to half-mast this week, was a frequent charitable donor behind the scenes and a believer in Bermuda’s potential.

Peter Green, who hailed from Manchester, England, came from a family background in textiles and a chain of grocery shops.

He moved to the island after his marriage to Mary Jean Mitchell, the only daughter of British industrialist Sir Harold Mitchell, who introduced him to the family’s house on Marshall's Island in Hamilton Harbour, where Mr Green and his family have been at home since.

Mrs Green’s death from breast cancer in 1990 led the family to become key supporters of the Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre, among many other causes. The Greens are also original backers of the British research and care charity Breast Cancer Now.

The family’s association with hotels included a significant interest in the Maybourne Group, owner of luxury London hotels Claridge’s, the Berkeley and the Connaught.

Having owned Caribbean resorts for decades, in 2019, the Greens acquired Sugar Beach, a luxury resort in St Lucia.

The family were known locally for their investment in the island — an endorsement of Bermuda that had a significant impact on the economy after the 2008 recession.

The Greens bought the former Sonesta Beach resort property in Southampton shortly after purchasing the iconic Hamilton Princess in September 2012.

Another major Bermuda investment by the Greens was Waterloo House on Pitt's Bay Road in Hamilton, a redeveloped penthouse and office space building that stood as a selling point for the island. The family additionally bought “Overbay” next door.

Mr Green’s circle of friends included Justin Trudeau, the Canadian prime minister, who came to the island to attend a memorial for him.

The family’s assets are managed by the Dublin-based Greenaap Consultants Ltd, and Mr Green served as a chairman of the family companies from 1990 to 2008.

Beyond their business interests, the Greens became known as prominent philanthropic donors on the island and abroad, often privately.

The Green Family Scholarship was created in 2007 for ten Bermudians in financial need each year to study abroad at college and university.

To date, more than 175 students have been funded.

Saltus Grammar School, where Mr Green’s sons, Alexander and Andrew, studied, garnered significant financial support over the years, with 30 students at present receiving aid.

Mr Green was also closely involved in Prospect College in Jamaica, a fully funded boarding high school set up by his father-in-law.

At Brown University in Providence, Rhode Island, where Mr Green earned a master's degree in history in 1980, the history department was named after him.

He served as a Brown trustee from 1997 to 2003.

Mr Green held a 1978 Bachelor of Arts honours degree from Antioch College in Ohio, and served as a fellow at Rollins College, Florida.

A spokeswoman for Greenaap recalled Mr Green as well liked and respected in Bermuda, with an easy manner and a keen sense of humour.

“He was really a people person,” she said. “We have had many building projects where he would just stop and talk to everyone, from all walks of life.

“He was very, very friendly and generous — an amazing man.”

Mr Green’s Manchester roots were reflected in his support for the Manchester City football team.

His father’s grocery business was sold to the Tesco chain in the 1960s.

Mr Green met his wife while travelling. The couple married in 1975.

Her father, Sir Harold, ran a family business, Berco, which she took over after his death.

Mrs Green had breast cancer diagnosed in 1988. The disease went into remission, but returned fatally two years later, when she was 38. She created a foundation to fundraise against the disease.

Mr Green and his sons were instrumental for the Bermuda Cancer and Health Centre in the subsequent decades.

Their support included a fundraising campaign launched in 2010 for a major upgrade to the charity’s equipment and patient support.

In 2012, the BCHC dedicated the Mary Jean Mitchell Green Ultrasound Suite, and in 2017, donations from the Greens were crucial for its $10 million radiation therapy programme, where the family name is on display in the radiation therapy reception area.

The family have also loaned artwork to hang on walls at the centre.

While British media described Mr Green as a supporter of the Labour Party, the references were outdated, with the family maintaining an apolitical stance.

Mr Green’s link to Mr Trudeau dated back to his friendship in the 1970s with his father, former prime minister Pierre Trudeau, who stayed at one of the family’s resorts.

A celebration of Mr Green’s life is planned for 4pm to 7pm on Friday at the Hamilton Princess.

• Peter Brian Green, a British-born investor who bought the Hamilton Princess in 2012 with his sons, Alexanderand Andrew, was born on September 16, 1935. He died in Bermuda on November 7, 2024, aged 89